Leicester City's £17m New Signing Harry Maguire Targets England Call Up This Season

Leicester City new boy Harry Maguire has targeted a place in Gareth Southgate's England squad.

Maguire joined Leicester in the summer's transfer window for a reported fee of £17m. The defender caught the attention of the Premier League club following impressive performances for former club Hull City.

And while the Englishman has not been called up yet, he still traveled to France for the Euro 2016 as a fan. 

"I went with a few mates,’ he told the Mail. "It was a good experience. The England fans go in big numbers and are a credit to their country. I went to the Slovakia game, a bit of a boring 0-0. I picked the worst one! I was in the stands, trying to keep a low profile. There were a few Hull and Sheffield United fans who spotted me and had pictures."

With another full season of Premier League football ahead of him, Maguire is hoping to get closer to a call up to the England team: "Fingers crossed. First and foremost I need a good season for Leicester, performing week-in, week-out, and touch wood, staying injury free. Then I’ll see where it takes me."

The Leicester man has struggled with injury problems in the past though, having picked up a knee injury last year that ruled him out of contention for international matches in June.

"Personally I haven’t had any contact from England. But in the summer they spoke to my physio and asked about my injury. They knew I was unavailable. 

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"I don’t know whether or not I would have been involved. I want to play for my country. To have that knowledge they are taking me into consideration does give you confidence."

While Hull's leaky defense lead to eventual relegation last term, Maguire's impressive timing of tackles and ability on the ball impressed many. In fact, the centre-back was regularly featured on Match of the Day.

"If you don’t watch the show then you get it sent through by your friends and family,’ Maguire says with a smile."

Due to Maguire's positive showings in a Hull shirt, multiple Premier League clubs were interested in his signature in the summer. Regular Premier League football was important for Maguire, and when Hull were relegated to the Championship, a move away became a necessary course of action.

"I wanted to play in the Premier League so when Hull got relegated my mind was set,’ says Maguire. ‘Spurs were interested at one point. But I wanted to go somewhere I felt I could make an immediate impact. Weighing everything up I felt Leicester were the best option. You can only see the club going up."