Manchester United are reportedly setting their sights on Tottenham’s defensive midfielder Eric Dier as a potential reinforcement in the summer.
According to the Mirror, Tottenham’s midfield engine, Eric Dier is a subject of substantial interest from Manchester United with the club reportedly prepared to offer a bid in excess of £40 million to acquire the England international’s services.
For a side that boasts just the 6th largest wage bill in the country, Spurs have punched well above their weight as they look set to finish 2nd in the Premier League this season.
What that has done is also attracted the eyes of a number of potential suitors towards the team’s impressive army of star players. Daniel Levy and the Tottenham board are poised for a daunting summer ahead as they fight to retain the core of the team and strengthen it well enough to challenge for silverware next season.
The likes of Harry Kane, Kyle Walker, Dele Alli, Christian Eriksen and Toby Alderweireld have all been subject to offers in recent months and the latest to join the hit-list is Eric Dier.
The 23-year-old who arrived from Sporting Lisbon on a £4 million pound fee in 2014 has been very impressive for the North-Londoners in recent campaigns and was rewarded for it with a new five-year deal last September.
His versatility has seen him play at right-back and centre-back aside his usual role in centre-defensive midfield. With Mousa Dembele remaining a crucial member of that centre-midfield partnership for Spurs, the Englishman of late has been left to fight for his place with former Southampton man, Victor Wanyama.
Jose Mourinho, however, is looking to offer the England international a lucrative release with a £40 million move to Old Trafford. Manchester United are looking to return to the big time under the stewardship of their Portuguese manager and they believe an investment in Dier will go well in line with their ambition.
He could join a midfield line-up already crowded by stars of the likes of Ander Herrera, Paul Pogba, Michael Carrick and Marouanne Fellaini.
With Daniel Levy stipulating that there are no plans to offer improved pay packages to players in a bid to ward of opposition interest, the 20-time league winners could force a way into making the move happen with their big money offer.
The Tottenham chairman, however, expects the majority of the players, who are under contracts and wages they were satisfied with in the first place, to honour their commitments, and it remains to be seen if a summer move sees the light of the day.
