Transfer News: Manchester United receive major boost in Toby Alderweireld pursuit as Tottenham activate contract option

Manchester United have received a boost in pursuit of Toby Alderweireld, with Tottenham exercising their option to extend the defender’s contract till 2020.

Tottenham Hotspur have made an official statement to confirm that they have triggered the one-year option in Toby Alderweireld’s contract, which has been extended till June 2020. The extension put Manchester United on alert, with a £25 million release clause coming into effect for a couple of weeks in the summer.

Alderweireld has been one of several key stars for Tottenham in recent years, wherein they have strongly established themselves as genuine Premier League title contenders. But, over the last twelve months or so, the player’s future at the North London club has been mired in uncertainty, with his contract winding down.

Last summer, in fact, the Belgian international was heavily linked with a move away from Tottenham, with Manchester United identifying him as a priority target. But, Spurs chose to hold on to Alderweireld, which has ultimately put them in a dicey situation, especially with his deal poised to run out in June 2019.

This situation has piqued the interest of a number of clubs that have been eager to make a low money move for the 29-year-old in January, including Manchester United, who have refused to end their interest in him.

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s appointment as the caretaker boss may have positively affected the results and the atmosphere – Manchester United have won each of his first five games. But, defence remains a major concern for the Red Devils, with even Reading getting in a lot of action in their FA Cup third round tie.

Alderweireld is thus, a viable target for Manchester United, with his experience in the Premier League standing them in good stead. The Premier League heavyweights have now received a major boost in pursuit of the player, with Tottenham choosing to exercise their option to extend his current deal by one year.

The extension means a £25 million release clause is set to be triggered in the summer for a period of 14 days. The presence of the release clause means the decision on Alderweireld’s future will be taken out of Tottenham’s hands for a couple of weeks, giving Manchester United a distinct advantage in their pursuit of the player.

So, even though Alderweireld had insisted that he only wanted to remain at Tottenham last summer, Manchester United will hope to turn his head to finally secure the services of their priority target next summer.

A January move for Alderweireld, or any other transfer target, looks out of the question anyway for Manchester United and Solskjaer, if widespread reports are to be believed. But, the £25 million release clause certainly makes things interesting, with Tottenham extending the Belgian’s contract by one year.