Manchester United will make a decision on signing Tottenham defender Toby Alderweireld in the coming days and are prepared to ignore advice from manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.
The Norwegian is keen to sign a top-tier centre-back this summer but feels there are other areas of his squad in more urgent need of attention.
Solskjaer is prepared to stick with Victor Lindelof, Chris Smalling and Eric Bailly next season provided he can sign a right-back and central midfielder.
The 46-year-old is an admirer of Alderweireld but believes the 30-year-old would represent a stop-gap and is not a long-term solution to United’s problems at the back.
However, a clause in the defender’s contract at Spurs gives buying clubs a two-week window where they can sign the centre-back for just £25m and the Sun claim United’s board are considering the move.
United’s board feel a player of Alderweireld’s quality is rarely available at such an affordable price and the report claims they will come to a decision next week over whether to make a move.
Alderweireld is, understandably, focused on Spurs’ Champions League final clash against Liverpool but he recently admitted he was happy in north London.
‘There’s a lot to play for this season. And in the end, I have a year contract left at Spurs, so I don’t look further than this season,’ said Alderweireld.
‘Other things I don’t know. I am very happy at Spurs, so we will see what the future brings. ‘I still feel very fit. I think I played a lot of minutes this season so I showed that I am fit – I don’t feel 30, I feel younger’.
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