Report: Manchester United reluctant to deal with Daniel Levy over Alderweireld

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Tottenham Hotspur defender Toby Alderweireld could leave this summer.

According to The Independent, Manchester United are reluctant to negotiate with Tottenham chairman Daniel Levy over a potential deal for defender Toby Alderweireld this summer.

Alderweireld, 28, has starred in the heart of the Spurs defence ever since his 2015 move from Atletico Madrid, impressing alongside former Ajax and current Belgium teammate Jan Vertonghen.

Now considered as arguably the Premier League’s finest centre back, Alderweireld is a key part of Mauricio Pochettino’s Spurs side, but Tottenham risk losing him having failed to agree a new contract with him – and he allegedly wants around £180,000-a-week, just like Virgil van Dijk at Liverpool.

That is a value that Spurs are so far unwilling to meet, and with a £25million release clause which can be activated next summer, it’s now thought that Manchester United are keen to land Alderweireld – but don’t want the hassle of dealing with Spurs chairman Daniel Levy.

Could United’s stance impact Danny Rose?

Alderweireld would arguably be the perfect partner alongside Eric Bailly in the heart of the United defence, but their feelings over Levy are seemingly so strong that they won’t even enter the race.

Levy is a notoriously tough negotiator anyway, but deals over the years which saw Michael Carrick and Dimitar Berbatov leave Spurs for United were long and drawn out, with United reluctant to get into a similar state of affairs again.

Alderweireld isn’t the only Spurs player linked with a move to Old Trafford though, as the Daily Mail recently reported that United are hoping to agree a £50million deal for Spurs left back Danny Rose.

Rose’s time with Spurs does seem to be drawing to a close after six months dominated by fitness issues and questions over his commitment, but if United won’t deal with Levy over Alderweireld, then there may be some reluctance to target Rose too, which could leave the England international stuck at Spurs this summer.