Martial to play a part as Man Utd make inroads with £55m target
Manchester United are trying to complete a £55million deal for Tottenham defender Toby Alderweireld, claims a report.
The Manchester Evening News report Jose Mourinho is looking to revamp his defence with Spurs’ Belgium centre-back becoming their most expensive defensive recruit to date.
Mourinho is believed to want a right-back and a left-back and has targeted Juventus’ Alex Sandro for the left-back role.
Spurs are resigned to losing 29-year-old Alderweireld, who has refused to sign a contract extension. The Belgian is out of contract in June 2019 and in March he was reported to be “unhappy” at the club’s latest contract offer of £110,000 per week plus bonuses.
The centre-back, who is currently on around £50,000, is chasing a £140,000 a week and he has a clause in his existing deal which contains a one-year extension option, to summer 2020, but triggering that option would also activate a £25million release clause, which would kick in in the summer of 2019, as long as a transfer was completed at least 14 days before the closure of the window.
Mourinho is keen, per the repor, and the fee is likely to dwarf the £30.9million United paid Benfica up front for Victor Lindelof last year.
Alderweireld, who has struggled with a hamstring problem this term, has made just 21 appearances for Tottenham this time around.
Tottenham meanwhile, are targeting a new attacking player and Mauricio Pochettino has placed Anthony Martial high on his list of targets.
The Evening Standard claim Pochettino wants a forward who can also play on the wing or at No.10 and Spurs may well insist the Frenchman is thrown into any prospective deal.
Martial has been a bit-part player under Mourinho this season, making 18 Premier League starts.
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