According to a recent report by the Express, Tottenham Hotspur have triggered a clause in Toby Alderweireld’s contract which would keep him at the North London club until the summer of 2020 with Manchester United opting to cool their interest on the Spurs centre-back.
The Belgian international was previously linked with a switch to Old Trafford last summer. However, the same report has also stated that the Red Devils hierarchy have decided not to pursue the Tottenham defender as he won’t be an upgrade over Ole Gunnar Solskjær’s current options at the Theatre of Dreams which include the likes of Victor Lindelof, Eric Bailly, Phil Jones, Chris Smalling, and Marcos Rojo.
The Express also claims that United are looking for younger centre-halves than Alderweireld, who will turn 30 in May. It might turn out to be a bold move by the Mancunian giants not to pursue a defender of the Belgian’s talents as he has proven his value by putting in a string of consistent performances for Mauricio Pochettino’s team this season.
The 29-year-old defensive ace has featured in 24 matches for Spurs this term across all competitions and has been a rock at the back so far. His incredible contributions in defence has helped his team climb to the second place in the Premier League standings above the reigning champions of England, Manchester City.
On his day, Alderweireld can be one of the best centre-backs in European football as he is calm under pressure and can read the game well which helps him nip the opposition attacks in the bud. He is a terrific tackler and can make timely interceptions in his own half when the pressure is on his shoulders to deliver on the pitch.
It would be a massive mistake by the Red Devils to not opt for his services if the opportunity presented itself. At 29, the Belgian still has a few years left in him to play at a high level which United could benefit from if they chose to bring him to Old Trafford. However, with Spurs set to retain his talents, for now, it remains to be seen whether he can help the North London outfit win a major trophy under Pochettino.
As for Man United, they need to bring in a quality defender soon, or there might be a lot of question marks surrounding the club’s recruitment policy over the past couple of years.
