Manchester United came close to agreeing a fourth midfield signing late on transfer deadline day before having their ‘very big’ offer that they made turned down
Manchester United are continuing to hold transfer talks past the transfer window’s deadline day after having a deal collapse late on.
Louis Page, 18, could still become a United player at some stage despite staying at Leicester City this summer amid interest from the Premier League. Arsenal were also said to be keen on the England under-19 international who made 18 appearances in the Championship last season.
The midfielder is even more of a regular fixture for Leicester following relegation to League One, playing every minute of their last three matches. United, though, are showing no signs of going away.
JOIN US ON FB! Get all the best sports news and much more on our Facebook page
Our sister publication, the Manchester Evening News, reports that dialogue continues between both clubs. They understand the earlier stumbling block centred on the payment structure for Leicester City’s initial fee, as well as the composition of potential add-ons.
It is understood the League One outfit sought a sum exceeding the £10million plus £2.5million in add-ons package that Manchester City secured for Jeremy Monga.
An arrangement that would have kept Page at Leicester for the duration of this season was believed to be close before the 11pm cut-off. Arsenal were another club also linked with the midfielder earlier on this summer.
Nevertheless, he is said to be convinced by the development route and ambition that United outlined. Page’s father, Don, was born in Manchester, and they apparently still have relatives in the region.
Much like his son, Page Sr was a footballer, turning out for numerous sides across Greater Manchester. His clubs included Altrincham, Hyde United, Rochdale and Wigan Athletic.
Martin confirmed following Tuesday’s fixture that Leicester had turned down an approach from United on deadline day. He revealed: “The owner (Aiyawatt ‘Top’ Srivaddhanaprabha) was here today [and] we sat in the office and received a very big offer from Manchester United.
“Myself, Jon [Rudkin] (chief football officer), James [McCarron] (sporting director) and the owner, Khun Top, sat in [the office] and he said no.
“So whatever’s going on with the noise around the club and all that stuff, he was strong, and he wanted the player to stay and be part of us. It would have been so easy for him to sell Louis and take a lot of money, but he didn’t.
“It’s a brilliant thing for us. Louis, you can see the level of quality and potential he possesses is amazing. He’s really helped us since coming into the team. I’m really grateful that he’s still here.”
Countdown to Kickoff: The Essential 26/27 Sky Sports Bundle
Sky’s Essential TV and Sky Sports bundle includes at least 215 live Premier League clashes across the 2026/27 season, with more than 1,500 games from the EFL and beyond, plus F1, golf and darts.
This introductory offer saves £384 compared to the standard price, with every package also providing 100 regular channels alongside free Netflix and discovery+ subscriptions.