Manchester United hopeful of quick-fire Toby Alderweireld deal from Tottenham
Manchester United believe Tottenham Hotspurs desire to conclude their summer transfer business quickly will assist their pursuit of Toby Alderweireld.
The Daily Telegraph understand that manager Mauricio Pochettino wants Spurs squad in place well in advance of the end of the window on 9 August.
And with Tottenham chairman Daniel Levy a notoriously tough negotiator, Pochettinos demands could help accelerate Uniteds negotiations with the north London club.
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Jose Mourinho has identified Alderweireld as a candidate to supplement his defence however Tottenham could demand between £50m and £75m for the Belgium international.
Virgil van Dijk joined Liverpool from Southampton in the January transfer window and Levy believes he could recoup a similar fee for Alderweireld, who was named in the PFA Premier League team of the year in the 2015-16 season.
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Alderweireld, 29, has two years left on his current deal and under the terms of his contract will be available for £25m next summer.
He missed six months of last season with a hamstring injury and looked far from his best upon returning to the Tottenham first team.
Mourinho must convince executive vice-chairman Ed Woodward that Alderweireld is worth what would be a significant investment when he has little resale value and is reaching his tender years.
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One factor which could assist United in their pursuit is Tottenhams interest in forward Anthony Martial, which could trigger talks over a swap deal.
But given the complexity of such transfers and Uniteds need for a new centre-half they could be forced to abandon attempts to sign Alderweireld altogether if talks did collapse.
MORE: Simon Mignolet not thinking of Liverpool future beyond Champions League final
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