Manchester United’s summer transfer window has not been the most impressive this year. They have signed a couple of exciting stars but are yet to solve prevalent problems in the squad, one of them being their defensive area. Jose Mourinho has been linked with a move for Tottenham Hotspur’s Toby Alderweireld for some time now as the Belgian star remains high on his wish list this summer but reports now claim that both clubs are far away from reaching a deal for Alderweireld this summer.
The Belgian international has just a year left on his contract and could be available for as low as £25m next summer. Mauricio Pochettino is happy to sell, but Spurs are demanding a fee in excess of £50m, which has not impressed Manchester United. At 29, however, he remains one of the best defenders in the league at the moment, so should United meet his valuation?
A strong and confident defender, who hardly makes an error at the back, Alderweireld is a hard man to beat in the air while his understanding of the game allows him to make interceptions in crucial areas, just outside the box. He is quick enough to frustrate even the best of the wingers and is strong enough to dominate target-men in the Premier League.
He has loads of experience of top-flight football and is an established star at the highest level. He can walk into the first team at Old Trafford and could be a match winner for the Red Devils next season.
Eric Bailly remains the best options for Mourinho next season at the back while Chris Smalling, Victor Lindelof and Phil Jones have all failed to show any consistency last season. The likes of Clement Lenglet, Jerome Boateng and Harry Maguire continue to be linked with a move to United but Alderweireld is probably the best fit for the Red Devils.
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His price might be a bit steep, but Alderweireld has the quality to justify his price tag and could be a major coup for United. They do have other areas in the squad that need upgrades but signing Alderweireld will solve a problem that has been haunting the Portuguese for over a year now. Even at his price, United should not give up on signing a player of Alderweireld’s quality this summer.
