Ben Guest
Manchester United are increasingly confident that they can secure a deal for Toby Alderweireld before next weeks transfer deadline.
United have long been linked with having an interest in the 29-year-old centre-back, but have struggled to reach an agreement with Tottenham. Some reports have suggested that Spurs are aiming to achieve a figure similar to that which Liverpool paid for Virgil van Dijk in January, with United valuing the player significantly cheaper.
Such has been their difficulty in brokering a deal with the notoriously tough negotiator Daniel Levy, that Manchester United have started to look at alternatives, with Harry Maguire and Yerry Mina having being linked with a move to Old Trafford
Maguire is seemingly set to remain at Leicester, who are reluctant to sell the England defender, while there are suggestions that a deal for Mina is progressing.
However, according to The Times journalist Sam Pilger, United are now ‘increasingly confident’ of completing a deal to sign Alderweireld, after the defender was one of three players that have been told by Mauricio Pochettino that they were surplus to requirements.
#MUFC increasingly confident they will finally sign Toby Alderweireld next week.
— Sam Pilger (@sampilger) August 4, 2018
Alderweireld is believed to have told Tottenham that he will reject all potential moves from any other clubs in order secure a move to a Old Trafford, and with just one year remaining on his current deal, there is the possibility that he could leave for free next summer.
There is a clause in his contract that would allow Spurs to extend that deal by a further year, although that would activate a further clause that would allow him to leave for just £25 million next summer.
Premier League clubs have until 5pm on August 9 to complete their business, with the season set to kick-off the following day.