Report: Spurs handed boost in trying to keep Alderweireld

Tottenham Hotspur recently took up the option to extend Toby Alderweireld’s contract by a further twelve months, taking his deal with the club until 2020.

The extension also activated a clause in his contract whereby the Belgian can leave the club in the summer for a bid of £25million.

The news of the extension has been reported to have caught Manchester United’s attention, as they have held an interest in the defender since last summer.

It has now emerged that former United manager Jose Mourinho wanted the club to bid for Alderweireld in the summer but the bid was blocked by the club’s board.

According to Sky Sports reporter Pete Hall (as reported by the Express), although Mourinho was desperate to sign the 29-year-old defender, United’s board decided to not to bid for the Belgian due to ‘tactical reasons’.

This will offer Spurs fans hope that since United chiefs weren’t keen on Alderweireld in the summer, there is no reason for them to have changed their minds now, particularly with Mourinho having left the club.

“Let’s remember, the United board were not that keen on Alderweireld in the first place,” Hall told the Transfer Talk podcast while discussing if he could still move to Old Trafford.

“Jose Mourinho wanted him, he was the one who said we want to bring Alderweireld in, but the board vetoed that as they didn’t know if he could play in a two.

“There were doubts about that. If it’s the board who are going to sign players, and it would be because Ole Gunnar Solskjer is unsure if he will sign longer than the summer, we know they’re not that keen on Alderweireld.

“I’d be surprised if he comes at the moment. In the summer if a new manager comes in and wants him, £25million is a snip for a very, very good defender.”