Manchester United will have to pay in excess of £60million if they want to sign Tottenham midfielder Christian Eriksen this summer, according to reports.
The Red Devils are planning a massive overhaul of their squad with Ole Gunnar Solskjaer wanting at least five new faces and having spoken of a need to ‘rebuild’ after exiting the Champions League.
According to the Evening Standard, Eriksen is one of the top names on their wish list and is seen as being ‘central’ to Solskjaer’s plans to return United to their former glory.
United have been given encouragement in their pursuit of Eriksen by his lack of willingness to sign a new contract at Tottenham, with his current deal expiring in 2020.
Spurs still hope the Dane can be convinced to remain in north London but there is a begrudging sense that they will have to cash in if Eriksen refuses to put pen to paper.
However, Daniel Levy will drive a hard bargain even with just one year remaining on Eriksen’s contract and will not entertain any offers under £60m.
United would be prepared to double Eriksen’s £70,000-a-week wages if he moves to Old Trafford, though they also face competition for his signature from Real Madrid.
The Spanish giants have been tracking the 27-year-old for some time and Zinedine Zidane is plotting a major rebuild of his own, while Levy would rather sell abroad than strengthen a Premier League rival.
However, Real’s move is, somewhat ironically, complicated by their hopes of signing Paul Pogba; the Frenchman is Zidane’s preferred choice and he sees Eriksen as a back up if Pogba cannot be prised away from United.
