Spurs to demand £40million for Alderweireld after release clause expires

Bengaluru, July 25: North London club Tottenham Hotspur will demand £40million for their star defender Toby Alderweireld if Manchester United fail to trigger his £25m release clause.

The Belgian’s bargain release clause is available only until Friday (July 26) and it seems like Manchester United could miss out on the opportunity of landing their key target on the cheap.

The clause will expire if teams fail to match it this week and it is a surprise that no top team have triggered it yet considering the Belgian being one of the best defenders in the world.

The Red Devils are believed to be looking at Alderweireld in their hunt for a new centre-back.

Top target Harry Maguire will cost £80m to prise away from Leicester City. And Alderweireld represents a much cheaper option for the Red Devils even though he is a few years older than the Englishman.

However, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer is unsure if he wants to make a move with several weeks remaining in the transfer window.

Should United come sniffing in August, Spurs will apparently insist they pay £40m for the defender which is £15m more than the figure in his release clause.

Alderweireld will become out of contract at the end of the season. And Tottenham’s hardball approach could see them end up empty-handed should he decided to quit North London next summer. But Alderweireld insists he remains committed to Mauricio Pochettino’s cause for the meantime.

He said: “The release clause is running out and anything can happen. But my focus is on Spurs and in my head I will be playing for Spurs. I try to deliver the job I need to do – I’m happy and that’s it.

“Do I think I will still be a Spurs player come the start of the season? Yes, that’s my focus. In football everything can go quickly, but all I’m doing is focusing on Spurs and being fit for the start of the season.”