Exclusive: Man United to cool interest in Tottenham star Toby Alderweireld

Manchester United have ended their interest in Spurs defender Toby Alderweireld this summer, The Sport Review has been told

Manchester United are set to cool their interest in Tottenham Hotspur defender Toby Alderweireld, The Sport Review has learned.

Jose Mourinho is thought to be keen to sign a new centre-half to bolster his defensive options ahead of the new Premier League season.

Alderweireld appeared to be a natural choice to bolster Mourinho’s back four given his current contractual situation at Tottenham.

But sources have told The Sport Review that Manchester United have all but pulled out of a potential deal for the Belgian defender due to Tottenham’s lavish transfer demands.

As things stand, Manchester United and Spurs have been unable to come to a compromise in negotiations.

The 29-year-old has 12 months left to run on his current deal at Spurs, although the north London side have the option to activate a clause in his contract.

If Tottenham do, Alderweireld will remain at Spurs until 2020 but the former Atletico Madrid defender would be available to sign in a cut-price £25m deal next summer.

However, Spurs chairman Daniel Levy is a notoriously difficult negotiator and Tottenham are though to be demanding £75m for Alderweireld given Liverpool FC spent a world record fee for a defender on Virgil van Dijk back in January.

Mourinho signed Ivory Coast international Eric Bailly in a £30m deal from La Liga side Villarreal following his appointment as Louis van Gaal’s successor back in May 2016.

The Red Devils manager brought in Sweden international Victor Lindelof in a £30m deal from Portuguese giants Benfica last summer.

Mourinho ended the season with England duo Phil Jones and Chris Smalling at centre-half after Bailly fell down the pecking order at Old Trafford with no World Cup to play for.

Lindelof, meanwhile, has taken time to adjust to the Premier League following his switch from Benfica.


Alderweireld, who was part of the Belgium team that reached the World Cup semi-finals, has scored six times in 115 games in all competitions over the past three seasons since his move to Spurs from Atletico in 2015.