Manchester United chiefs refused to pay over the odds to sign a new centre-half this summer.

The Daily Mail says it is understood that United would have broken the world transfer record for a defender and paid £100m for someone of the quality of Real Madrid's Raphael Varane, but decided that £65m was more than enough for Harry Maguire. Even then, Leicester wouldn't budge.

United tried to get Jerome Boateng on loan from Bayern Munich, mindful that the Germans had already sold them two players with questionable injury records in Owen Hargreaves and Bastian Schweinsteiger.

When discussions turned to a permanent transfer, United would only offer £22.5m for a player who is valued at £45m by Bayern but turns 30 next month.

Similarly Toby Alderweireld, another 29-year-old, although United's interest in the Tottenham defender never progressed to a price being discussed between the two clubs.