Toby Alderweireld is reportedly desperate to quit Tottenham to complete his move to Manchester United this summer
According to a report by Daily Mirror, Toby Alderweireld has set his heart on joining Manchester United in this summer’s transfer window. The Belgian is prepared to run down his Tottenham contract, if the North Londoners price the Red Devils out of a deal.
Manchester United’s pursuit of a centre-back has been well documented, with Jose Mourinho already declaring that a number of his targets have still not been acquired. It is widely believed that the manager is eager to bolster the heart of his squad’s defence after somewhat unsatisfactory performances by the centre-backs in the second half of the 2017-18 season.
The Manchester United boss is reportedly prepared to sell Marcos Rojo to make way for a new arrival as well. But, securing the services of a centre-back is what has proven to be tricky for the Premier League heavyweights thus far. The likes of Toby Alderweireld, Harry Maguire and Yerry Mina have been linked the most heavily in recent weeks.
Maguire was believed to have become the priority target in the aftermath of the 2018 FIFA World Cup. But, Leicester City are expected to keep the star defender away from the clutches of Manchester United this summer. Yerry Mina, on the other hand, is only believed to be a fallback option.
But, Alderweireld has well and truly been the top priority for Manchester United throughout the summer transfer window. But, the Red Devils have been at an impasse with Tottenham, which seemed to have put the move on the back burner for the better part of the last month.
With less than a week left for the English transfer window to slam shut though, Manchester United need to zero in on one target, who is believed to be Alderweireld now. But, the major stumbling block in the player’s pursuit is Tottenham’s £75 million asking price that has been termed prohibitive by the Red Devils.
Alderweireld though, has put his foot down, demanding a transfer to Manchester United, the failure of which would mean he will snub a move to another club. Additionally, the player will be prepared to run down his contract. Even if Spurs trigger the one-year option in his contract, they will be resigned to losing him for just £25 million.
If they want to secure a big-money deal for the Belgian international, Tottenham would be better advised to perhaps reduce their valuation of the player, which will in turn still help them recoup top money for him. If not, Manchester United might just turn their attention towards Mina, leaving Spurs in a desperate position.
Less than a week remains in the English transfer window. Time is running out, not just for Manchester United, but even for Tottenham if they are to sell Alderweireld at a premium. It remains to be seen if the 29-year-old gets his big move to Old Trafford, leaving each party satisfied to a great extent.
