Toby Alderweireld is expected to leave Tottenham this summer with so many clubs interested in his signature and no progress being made on a contract extension. The 30-year-old has a £26m release clause that is likely to be triggered and there’s nothing Spurs can do about it until the final two weeks of the summer transfer window – July 26.
According to The Sun, Arsenal, Manchester United, Chelsea and Manchester City could make a move for Alderweireld this summer, meaning his departure is inevitable. Arsenal have Sokratis Papastathopoulos, Rob Holding and Shkodran Mustafi, but Alderweireld would greatly improve their squad.
United were heavily linked with the Belgian international in the past, but they’ve recently extended the contracts of Phil Jones and Chris Smalling so they might not make a move for the Tottenham man. Chelsea may need a centre-back if Gary Cahill and David Luiz leave at the end of their contracts this summer, but the club still has a transfer ban so they can’t add to their squad.
City might be in the market for a replacement for Vincent Kompany and have been linked with Alderweireld before. The central defender could have his pick of clubs in England and around Europe this summer. He’s been a terrific servant for Tottenham, making 150 appearances in all competitions since joining from Atletico Madrid in 2015.
Crippy Cooke’s previous article
Opinion: Man Utd may have to pay £95m and £12.5m wages to sign Tottenham man