Tottenham Hotspur defender Toby Alderweireld, who has one year left on his Lilywhites contract, is nearing his buyout clause expiry date by the hour.
According to a report on the Telegraph, Spurs chairman Daniel Levy is all but prepared to push the asking price for the Belgian international from £25m to £40m in case his release clause is not met by Friday, July 26.
Fellow Premier League club Manchester United have had a long-standing interest in the 30-year-old and have identified him as a backup to Leicester City defender Harry Maguire, the report adds.
Alderweireld managed 50 appearances across all competitions last season and helped the north London club reach the Champions League final in what was a stellar European campaign for the Lilywhites.
Should any Premier League club move for him?
The Spurs defender who features as a centre-back is versatile enough to cover at right-back or in a defensive midfield role in case the manager requires him.
The veteran is getting on the wrong side of 30 but has shown no signs of decline so far. He can easily perform at the top level for at least 2-3 more years without breaking a sweat.
Even though he has been plagued by an injury or two in four of the last 9 years, his fitness levels seem to have taken a leap as he endured an injury-free 2018/19 campaign last term with Tottenham.
The Belgian is technically astute and possesses the ability to dictate the play from the back. He averaged a pass success rate of 88.9%, 6.6 long balls and 0.2 key passes per game across all competitions which highlight his more than decent passing skills.
Other than his ability with the ball, the Spurs defender also boasts excellent defensive expertise on the pitch, from tackles to aerial prowess all being top-notch.
He managed 1.2 tackles, 0.7 interceptions, 0.8 blocks and an impressive 4.6 clearances per 90 minutes which highlight his awareness and alert nature in the defensive half of the pitch.
The Belgian also averaged 1.4 aerial duels won per game, thanks to his 6ft 1in stature which gives him an advantage over his rivals on a football field.
Manchester City, Manchester United, Arsenal and Liverpool all are on the lookout for a centre-half and a £25m fee isn’t much to ask for in the current scenario. And while we can rule out the Gunners from this list, Levy should not have a major issue sanctioning the move if the clause is met by the other parties.
With budget constraints as we enter the final quarter of the transfer window, there aren’t many better options in the market other than the Belgian especially for the English top-flight clubs seeing his proven Premier League status.
However, the clock is ticking and any move must be made imminently if the transfer fee is to be kept reasonable.
Stat Courtesy: Transfermarkt, Whoscored
