Atletico Madrid defender Toby Alderweireld’s well speculated future is reported to be decided next week, with Tottenham and Southampton keen to sign the Belgian centre back.
Alderweireld impressed whilst on loan at Southampton last season and the Saints are very interested in making the Belgian’s stay at St Mary’s a permanent one.
Southampton could have signed the 26 year old for a £6.8m fee as part of his loan agreement, but the Spanish side could cancel the clause by paying the Saints £1.5m compensation.
Not only does this mean that Ronald Koeman would likely have to pay over £10m to make Alderweireld’s deal a permanent one, but it also means that the Saints are likely to enter a bidding war in order to sign him.
Potential Chelsea Offer
Despite Chelsea also being linked with signing the centreback, it is Tottenham who seem to be the Saints’ direct rivals in the race to sign Alderweireld, with former Southampton head of recruitment Paul Mitchell supposedly being one of the key men involved in bringing Alderweireld to the South Coast last season.
Tottenham’s interest in the 26 year old is so strong that Spurs’ chairman Daniel Levy has been rumoured to have flown out to thrash out a deal with the Atletico hierarchy this week, but with the condition that the deal is completed by Sunday.
Spurs intent in signing Alderweireld however does not seem to be as strong as Southampton’s, with the need to sign him diluted by the fact that Spurs have signed Cologne centre back Kevin Wimmer to add to Jan Vertonghen, Federico Fazio, Eric Dier, Vlad Chiriches and Younes Kaboul as options in the centre of defence.
Reports of Alderweireld’s preferred destination seem to be very conflicting, with both sides seeming very confident in making the Belgian’s signature theirs, but if it comes down to the defender to decide his next destination, they both have pull factors.
Tottenham have several of his ex-teammates on their books, with Vertonghen, Moussa Dembele, Nacer Chadli and Christian Eriksen all playing with Alderweireld in the past, whereas the defender also has been quoted as enjoying his loan spell at St Mary’s last season.