Leicester City have a contingency plan in case key defender Harry Maguire leaves the club this summer.

If Maguire does depart, Leicester will move for Middlesbrough captain Ben Gibson, according to The Mirror.

After starring for England at the World Cup as his country reached the semi-finals of the tournament, Maguire is now a target for Manchester United.

Rated at £65m, Leicester are in line to make a hefty profit on the 25-year-old, who they signed from Hull City for £17m last summer.

If Maguire leaves, Gibson will top Leicester's wishlist.

The Foxes are eyeing a similar deal to Maguire and are looking to dip into the Championship to secure a cut-price centre-half.

Gibson decided to snub Premier League interest last summer and remain with his boyhood club Boro, but after they failed to win promotion, he may need to move back to the top flight to enhance his England ambitions.

The 25-year-old has played over 200 games for Middlesbrough in his career and was named in an England senior squad, although he is yet to make his debut.

The Verdict

This would be another fantastic piece of business by Leicester, who are doing all the right things in the transfer market.

After making a large profit on Maguire after one year, Gibson is a similar type of player who has a high sell-on value.

The former England under-21 international has proven that he is a decent Premier League defender, he is going to get better and he could have a senior England call-up soon as Gareth Southgate is a fan.

Middlesbrough fans - Can you keep Gibson? Will Flint be a good replacement? Let us know below...