Former Tottenham Hotspur star Jermaine Jenas has predicted that Belgian centre-back Toby Alderweireld will complete a move to Man United this winter.
The 29-year-old Spurs defender was at the top of Jose Mourinho’s wishlist this summer, however, Spurs’ £60million asking price put Man City off a potential deal.
Belgian star is out of contract at the end of the campaign but the Spurs can extend his deal by another year which will trigger a release clause allowing the Red Devils to sign the Belgian for only £25m during a two-week period.
While Jenas believes that Alderweireld is key for Pochettino’s plans, he believes it’s almost inevitable that 29-year-old defender to make a switch to direct Premier League rivals.
‘Spurs 100 per cent still need Toby. Davinson Sanchez is a good player but he’s not the finished article and he’s not better than Toby,’ Jenas told Express Sport.
‘Toby and Jan [Vertonghen] together is quite possibly the best or the second-best centre-half pairing in the world.
‘People probably argue Raphael Varane and Sergio Ramos [at Real Madrid], who run them close. Why you wouldn’t want that, I don’t know.
“I think his age and the fact that he’s started to pick up a few injuries doesn’t help Toby.
‘From United’s point of view they were saying ‘why should we pay £60m when we can get him for £25m in January?’.
‘I’m almost certain if he’s not gone by the end of this window already, then he’ll go to United [in January].’
Man Utd manager Jose Mourinho is currently using Victor Lindelof and Eric Bailly as his defence pair in the centre while Luke Shaw has settled on the left-flank.