Former Manchester United boss Sir Alex Ferguson sees Leicester City defender Harry Maguire as a United player.

The Manchester Evening News says Ferguson believes United should do all they can to sign the 26-year-old after they had a £70million bid rejected by Leicester at the start of the week.

Ferguson is believed to be mystified as to why United did not make an offer for Maguire sooner, despite his Nations League participation with England last month.

United were due to make a decision on whether to sign a central defender at the end of June even though the Premier League transfer window closes on August 8.

Ferguson was in the stands to watch Maguire start for Sheffield United at Old Trafford in their 4-1 FA Youth Cup final defeat to United in May 2011 and believes he would be an ideal signing.