Toby Alderweireld has been earmarked as a top target by Manchester United this summer and it seems as though Tottenham are prepared to sell this summer because of an interesting clause in his deal.
As per Darren Lewis from The Mirror, Spurs have opened negotiations with United for the sale of the Belgium international.
The 29-year-old has turned down a new contract offered to him, with Alderweireld not happy with the wages being discussed.
His existing deal is due to expire in 2020 but it's in the North Londoners' best interests to cash in on him this summer because if they don't, he will be available for a bargain price of £25 million the following summer due to a clause in his contract.
Despite an injury-hit season last time out, Alderweireld is undoubtedly one of the best defenders in the league and was instrumental in Spurs having the best defensive record two years on the bounce in 2015/16 and 2016/17.
To begin with, Spurs were prepared to listen to offers in the region of £55 million for the former Atletico Madrid and Ajax man, but Virgil van Dijk's record-breaking £75 million switch has changed Daniel Levy's stance.
Levy, a typically stern negotiator, is said to be asking for a fee closer to that figure for the Spurs No.4 having seen some of the craziness in the transfer market.
Alderweireld first made the move to English football when he signed on loan for Southampton for the 2014/15 season.
Saints had the option to outright purchase him but were furious when Spurs swooped in to land him for £11.5 million from Atletico, even threatening legal action because they felt they were hard done by.
Now, Alderweireld's value has increased hugely following his consistent displays and United will need to decide whether to pay big dollar to snap him up now - or wait for that dirt-cheap £25 million clause to come into play.
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