Plenty of football fans are still coming to terms with the fact Manchester United have made Harry Maguire the most expensive defender in history.

The £80 million centre-back agreed a six-year contract at Old Trafford on Monday to end a summer of speculation over where he would go from Leicester City.

Manchester City were also thought to be in the running for his signature, but the Premier League champions pulled out upon being asked to pay a world-record fee.

But the Red Devils saw fit to cough up for Maguire, who is expected to make his debut when they kick-off their campaign against Chelsea on Sunday.

The 26-year-old will need time to justify his eye-watering price tag, which was no doubt inflated by the premium English players command.

But amid the swathes of people who are already convinced United have wasted a fortune on Maguire, Graeme Souness has brought an interesting perspective to the debate.

“They will be a better team with Harry Maguire,” the 66-year-old said, per The Times.

“I don’t care if you’re Man City or United, you should have pushed the boat out for him, even at £80m, because he can have as big an influence at United as Virgil van Dijk has at Liverpool.

“When Leicester go behind, I see Maguire stepping into midfield & wanting to force the issue. 

“I don’t see that from Van Dijk. Is that because Van Dijk has better players in front or because Maguire is a different character, who wants to be the difference?

“City have missed a trick because Maguire will have an enormous impact at United.”

We’ll have to wait and see if Souness is right about the former Hull City man, though his comments are sure to generate controversy among those who refuse to compare Van Dijk with any other defender.

Maguire expected to make his debut at some point during United’s Premier League opener against Chelsea on Sunday.

Do you think Maguire will be as influential for United as Van Dijk is for Liverpool? Share your thoughts by leaving a comment below.