€100m star accepted life-changing contract from United, was left heartbroken when deal was called off – report

Manchester United spent £80m, a world record fee for a defender, to secure the services of Harry Maguire from Leicester City in 2019. Maguire has arguably not justified the full extent of his price-tag. However, the Englishman has proven to be a reliable option at the heart of the defence, and has also produced many decisive moments in the opposition box. Interestingly, it seems the Red Devils initially planned to splash a record fee on another central defender.  Koulibaly was ready to move to Manchester United In a recent interview, Al Hilal star Kalidou Koulibaly revealed that he wanted to join United in 2018. At the time, Koulibaly was considered one of Europe’s best defenders, and the Premier League giants supposedly made a massive offer to bring him to Manchester from Naples. Speaking on Zack en Roue Libre podcast, as relayed by Corriere dello Sport, the 34-year-old said: “Napoli received a €100m offer from Manchester United and rejected it. Ancelotti came and said to me: ‘I came here to win the league. What do you want to do?’” The Senegal international told Ancelotti of his desire to leave Napoli, as he could have had “the contract of my life” at United. However, the Italian mastermind threatened to resign immediately.  “I told Ancelotti that I adored him, but that my bags were packed and that I was leaving the next day. I had already booked a taxi for 1 pm,” he added. Still, Ancelotti had the last say. Koulibaly stated: “He sensed I was about to leave, called me and said: ‘I’ve sorted everything out, you’re not leaving, you’re staying with me, you’re renewing your contract.’”  Koulibaly stayed at Napoli for four more years before joining Chelsea in 2022. His stint in the Premier League was underwhelming, to say the least. The Blues parted ways with him swiftly, allowing the Senegalese to move to the Saudi Pro League in 2023. Man United want Maguire to extend his stay Meanwhile, Maguire remains a pivotal figure at Old Trafford, having played regularly under several managers, including Ruben Amorim. Most recently, the 32-year-old delivered a resilient performance against Liverpool and sent the away crowd at Anfield into raptures with a late winner. Maguire is in the final year of his contract at United, but there is willingness from all parties to reach an agreement over a renewal. The Peoples Person has been one of the world’s leading Man United news sites for over a decade. Follow us on Bluesky: @peoplesperson.bsky.social Vishal Singh Vishal has worked in the football media industry for over six years, planning, writing, and editing content for several major outlets, including North Star Network. Vishal has a bachelor’s degree in English Literature from Delhi University. Currently a writer at The Peoples Person, he covers Manchester United — a club he has been religiously following and supporting since 2012. Vishal also manages a leading MUFC fan page, The Red Devils, on Facebook with over a million likes. Big fan of ball-playing centre-backs and Harry Maguire’s knee-slide celebration!