Ajax tell Man Utd, Spurs asking price for top defensive star

Manchester United and Tottenham have learnt how much they will need to pay if they want to land Ajax youngster Matthijs de Ligt this summer.
The Premier League duo have both been strongly linked with moves for the 18-year-old over the last few months, although Spurs are viewing him as a replacement for United target Toby Alderweireld.
The Belgium star is expected to quit Tottenham this summer and it had appeared that a £50million switch to Old Trafford was very much on the cards.
However, that hasn’t stopped United being spoken of as de Ligt’s next destination, indeed the player himself even name-checked Jose Mourinho’s men when asked about this future after Holland’s 1-1 draw with Italy on Monday.
Ajax are expected to try and cash in on the young centre-back, who has also previously been linked with Barcelona, Arsenal and Manchester City, but according to The Sun they want £48million for the player.
That would represent a club-record fee for Spurs, who coughed up £42m for De Ligt’s former Ajax team-mate Davinson Sanchez last summer, but would not be an issue for United as Mourinho looks to revamp his side for a title challenge in 2018-19.
Everything could change, however, if Alderweireld does end up in Manchester as that would give Spurs a clearer run at a player who is regarded as one of the best young defenders in European football.
The best United news direct to your Facebook timeline: Like our dedicated Manchester Utd Facebook page.