Tuesday 17 April 2018 14:48, UK
Harry Maguire is not for sale and is crucial to Leicester City's future, says Claude Puel.
Maguire has made an impression on England manager Gareth Southgate following his £17m move from Hull to Leicester last summer and has been involved in every international squad in the build up to this summer's World Cup.
Newspaper reports this week have suggested Manchester United are interested in signing Maguire, but Puel has put the centre-back at the core of his plans for Leicester and dismissed the possibility of a move away.
"Harry is a valuable player for us and I want to build my team around him," Puel said. "It's just speculation.
"He came into Leicester, played, developed and he needs to continue to improve. He's a young player with fantastic attributes, an international player, it's a good thing to have this player at Leicester.
"It's important to give him a good feeling for the future, to build a good team around him, to keep a good ambition for the future."
Asked if that means Leicester will not be selling Maguire, Puel responded: "Of course."
Puel said the relegation troubles of his former club Southampton are "not his concern" ahead of their visit to Leicester's King Power Stadium on Thursday.
Leicester will give late fitness tests to goalkeeper Peter Schmeichel and Shinji Okazaki ahead of the game, with both players having ankle injuries.
Daniel Amartey returned to Leicester training on Tuesday, but Puel confirmed he will not be match-fit in time to face Southampton.
