Harry Maguire: Leicester City boss Claude Puel rules out selling defender
- From the section Leicester
Leicester City manager Claude Puel says England defender Harry Maguire is not for sale despite reported interest from a number of top-six clubs.
Manchester United, Manchester City and Tottenham have all been linked with the 25-year-old summer signing from Hull.
But Puel says he wants to "build his team" around the centre-half, who made his England debut against Lithuania in October.
"He is a valuable player for us. It is just speculation," said Puel.
Maguire joined Leicester for £17m and has played every minute of the Foxes' Premier League campaign so far.
He has won four England caps and is in contention for a place in Gareth Southgate's squad for the World Cup in Russia.
"He came into Leicester and played and developed and he needs to continue to improve," said Puel.
"He's a young player with fantastic attributes, an international player, and it is a good thing to have this player at Leicester.
"He is an important player for us and it is important to give him a good feeling for the future, to build a good team around him and to keep a good ambition for the future."
Asked if that meant he would not be selling Maguire, Puel replied: "Of course."
The Frenchman says goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel may miss Leicester's Premier League match against Southampton on Thursday after he picked up an ankle injury in the 2-1 defeat against Burnley on Saturday.
"The problem is in his ankle and we will see if he can play," said Puel. "For the moment, he cannot train with us."
