Toby Alderweireld’s transfer value goes through the roof as £25m release clause expires leaving Man Utd desperate for Maguire
TOBY ALDERWEIRELD'S price tag at Tottenham has gone through the roof after his £25m release clause expired.
As of midnight, there are just two weeks left in the transfer window, meaning Spurs are no longer contractually obliged to sell the Belgian for the bargain basement fee.
And that will accelerate Man United's pursuit of Leicester's Harry Maguire as the Red Devils consider his hefty price tag.
The Foxes want £80m, a world record for a defender, from United after their long-term pursuit of the England centre-back.
The prospect of missing out on Maguire and then unnecessarily overspending on Alderweireld would be embarrassing for Man United's executive vice chairman Ed Woodward.
Belgian centre-back Alderweireld was a top target for Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's predecessor, Jose Mourinho, last summer.
But Woodward vetoed Mourinho's move for Alderweireld.
And the new man in charge at Old Trafford is said to be focused on signing young British players.
That has been seen in the arrival of Daniel James from Swansea and Aaron Wan-Bissaka from Crystal Palace, who are both 21 years old.
Get Alderweireld in your Dream Team
- Alderweireld looks set to stay at Spurs this season
- Scored 124 points on Dream Team last season
- Priced at £3.5m on the game
YOUNG DEVILS
Maguire is 26, four years younger than Alderweireld who will now cost around £40m after the expiry of his release clause.
That fact will accelerate United's attempts of landing Maguire from Leicester as Alderweireld is their main back-up option, according to the .
Woodward has not travelled on the club's pre-season tour in order to focus on transfers.
Alderweireld expects to still be in North London by the start of the new Premier League season.
During Spurs' pre-season tour, he said: "Yes, the release clause is running out and again anything can happen.
“But my focus is on Spurs and in my head I will be playing for Spurs.
“My focus is on Spurs and 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.”