Tottenham and Manchester United have reportedly reached an impasse over the transfer of Toby Alderweireld, with Spurs demanding over £55 million for the Belgian
According to a report by London Evening Standard, Manchester United’s bid to sign Toby Alderweireld in the summer transfer window has run into troubled waters. Tottenham are commanding over £55 million for the Belgian defender, which has led to a transfer standoff between the two Premier League heavyweights.
Alderweireld is widely regarded as one of the best defenders, not just in the Premier League, but across the world. The player impressed in his season-long loan spell at Southampton, which saw Tottenham land him in a permanent deal in the summer of 2015.
The two subsequent seasons saw Alderweireld become an ever-present in defence for Spurs and playing a key role in their rise up the top echelons of English football. But, this past season was a tough one for the Belgian, as injury and a contract standoff saw him feature just 21 times for Tottenham, and Davinson Sanchez’s advent made Alderweireld’s absence easy to deal with.
While Tottenham wished to tie the Belgian international to a new deal, they are unwilling to meet his wage demands and are ready to sell him this summer as they want to avoid his £25 million release clause to come into play next summer. As a result, Alderweireld has been a man in demand, with Manchester United leading the race to sign him.
In fact, Manchester United have been in talks with Tottenham over a possible deal for a couple of weeks now, even though Spurs would prefer not to sell to a rival club. The Red Devils also reportedly have an agreement in place with Alderweireld, who would sign a five-year deal that would see him earn considerably more than his current £120,000-a-week wages.
The player’s addition would be much welcome at Old Trafford too, with Jose Mourinho cutting a frustrated figure over his side’s defensive output in the second half of the 2017-18 season. Injuries to key personnel were a key factor, but the Manchester United boss has been left unimpressed by the performance of some of his centre-backs.
Reports have been rife about a possible defensive shuffle at the club, with the likes of Chris Smalling and Phil Jones facing the axe, while Eric Bailly, too, faces an uncertain future. As a result, Alderweireld is a player who could add some stability at the back for Manchester United and should ideally take little time to settle at Old Trafford.
But, talks between Manchester United and Tottenham have now reached a head, with Spurs demanding over £55 million that the Red Devils were confident would be enough to seal the deal. The price could possibly be driven down if Anthony Martial is included in a possible deal, but it has been reported that Manchester United are unwilling to offload the Frenchman.
So, it looks like any possible deal might only happen after Belgium’s World Cup campaign, with the big event less than a week away. If not, we could see Manchester United turn their attention elsewhere, with several other centre-backs being linked with possible moves.
