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With just five days until the end of the transfer window for Premier League clubs on Thursday, most EPL clubs are making last gasp bids to strengthen their teams, in preparation for their assault on the new season.
A lot of players have their futures undecided, and are subjects of constant speculation in the transfer tabloids, as they seek to resolve their future before deadline day. One of those players is Belgium and Tottenham centre-back Toby Alderweireld.
The 29-year-old has found himself out of contention at Tottenham, having fallen out with Mauricio Pochetino due to his criticism of the club's financial policies, and haggle over details of his new contract.
Alderweireld has constantly been linked with a transfer to Old Trafford, but the Manchester club has bulked at Tottenham's asking price of £75m, as the Belgian has just one year left on his contract. However, though that amount seems a bit exuberant, as United themselves showed last season with Sanchez who had just six months left on his contract with Arsenal, they are not beyond spending huge to get a player needed to fix their problems.
Alderweireld will prove a useful addition to the Manchester United team, and the Red Devils must find a way to negotiate his transfer with Daniel Levy. Here are three reasons why Manchester United must sign Toby Alderwireld.
#3 He is a seasoned international
Toby Alderweireld is a core member of one of the strongest national teams in the world; the Belgium Red Devils.
He was an integral part of their team which finished in 3rd place at the just concluded FIFA World Cup in Russia, and was also a starter in the squads for the 2016 Euro and 2014 World Cup, playing all five matches for Belgium in Brazil four years ago.
He will bring with him considerable international experience, having played at several tournaments with his country. It is an index currently lacking in the current United defense, with their three first-choice centre-backs: Phil Jones, Chris Smalling and Eric Bailly having made 27, 31 and 30 caps respectively, for a total of a meager 88 caps, compared to Toby Alderweireld who has represented Belgium with distinction 83 times since his 2009 debut.
Almost all great teams are built on a strong defense, and international experience is most times a requisite for success at club level, particularly in defense, and with Alderweireld's exposure to international football, his addition would be a boost to the Manchester United rearguard in their quest to rediscover their lost glory.
#2 He is a massive upgrade on all Manchester United defenders
Beyond the international experience he will bring to the United back line, he is also flat-out a better defender than everybody in the current Manchester United defense.
For the last three seasons, Toby Alderweireld has been one half of the most consistent centre-back pairing, along with international compatriot Jan Vertonghen.
Together, they helped Tottenham achieve the best league defensive record in the club's history in 2016/2017, with only 26 goals conceded in the Premier League (only 9 of which were conceded in home league games) and was 6 better than the previous record of 32 conceded that was set over 100 years earlier in the 1908/09 season in the then second division.
They also had the best defensive record in the Premier League during Alderweireld's first season at North London, conceding only 35 goals in the Premier League, with Alderweireld being named into the PFA Team of the Year for that season.
His addition to Manchester United would markedly improve the Old Trafford defense, as he is a palpably significant upgrade on all the first-team defenders at Manchester United.
#1 It is a win-win for all three parties involved
Toby Alderweireld is desperate to get his transfer to Manchester United sorted out, and has his heart set on a move to Old Trafford, reportedly issuing an ultimatum to Spurs to complete the deal before the close of the transfer window.
The 29-year-old has just one year left on his contract, and threatened Spurs to play out the remainder of his contract and leave on a Bosman next season, with Tottenham not getting any fee for his transfer.
It is a situation that Spurs would be keen to avoid, and would prefer to get some sizable fee for his transfer rather than lose him for nothing next year, and Manchester United would do well to grant him his heart desires by going all out to get him.
With Alderweireld's heart set on a transfer to Old Trafford, Tottenham keen not to lose him for free next season and Manchester United in need of a quality centre-back, it is a positive business transaction for all parties involved and one that should be carried out before the close of the transfer window.
