Transfer news: Tottenham hope Man Utd’s Alderweireld move will spark Martial deal
TOTTENHAM are hoping that Manchester United’s move for Toby Alderweireld could help spring a deal for Anthony Martial, reports claim.
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Tottenham are resigned to losing Alderweireld in the summer, who has refused to commit his future to the club.
The Belgian has one year left to run on his existing contract and a clause in it means he could be snapped up for £25million next year.
Mauricio Pochettino is likely to be working with a more limited budget as he prepares for the club’s move to their new stadium.
A striker has been identified as a priority to provide competition for Harry Kane.
Fernando Llorente managed just one Premier League goal this season, while Vincent Janssen, who severely struggled, was sent out on loan to Fenerbahce.
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He’s never a winger in a month of Sundays
And according to the London Evening Standard, Pochettino is targeting a specialist forward that could provide competition for Kane.
The report suggests they are hoping that United’s interest in Alderweireld could persuade Jose Mourinho to sanction Martial’s departure.
Spurs were previously after Martial before he joined the Red Devils in the summer of 2015 for an initial fee of £36m that could rise to £57m.
Under Mourinho, Martial has rarely played in his best position and has predominantly been deployed on the left wing when he has been on the field.
And Pat Nevin is convinced that Martial should be playing as a forward instead.
He said: “He’s never a winger in a month of Sundays.
“He is a 10 stroke a guy who plays as a nine or a deep-lying nine.
“When I watched him playing in France, I was absolutely gobsmacked at how brilliant he was.
“He led the line fantastically, his intelligence and movement was great, his ability to slip people through.”