United try their luck with £25m Spurs raid.
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Manchester United are set to make a surprise bid for Tottenham Hotspur defender Jan Vertonghen as Louis van Gaal remains set on signing one more defensive player before the end of the summer transfer window.
The Red Devils recently brought in Marcos Rojo from Sporting Lisbon in a deal worth around £16m, but it has been suggested that one more signing in defence could be made as van Gaal seeks to replace both Nemanja Vidic and Rio Ferdinand, who both left Old Trafford at the end of their contracts last season.
Vertonghen has now emerged as one of United’s top targets after they have found frustration in their efforts to sign the likes of Borussia Dortmund star Mats Hummels and AS Roma stopper Mehdi Benatia, though they are aware that Tottenham will be keen to avoid selling to a rival.
With that in mind, United hope to launch a staggering bid of around £25m for the Belgian international, who has also been linked with big clubs such as Barcelona and Liverpool this summer after his fine form at White Hart Lane.
The 27-year-old has been one of Spurs’ best players since he joined the club from Ajax, and it was thought that Barca may pay as much as £20m for him this summer, before they instead opted for the £15m signing of Thomas Vermaelen – another of United’s reported targets in defence.
United understand that they will have to pay more for Vertonghen due to being another Premier League club, but they have successfully raided the north Londoners in the recent past, signing Dimitar Berbatov from them in a big-money deal in 2008.
Some fans will be concerned that the club are somewhat overpaying for Vertonghen, in a deal that could draw comparisons with the £27.5m signing of Marouane Fellaini from Everton this time last summer.
Still, there’s no question that van Gaal is in need of strengthening at the back after a Premier League opening day defeat to Swansea City at Old Trafford, and time is running out for the club to bring in their top targets, who would likely cost a great deal more at this stage in the transfer window.
It remains to be seen if Spurs will accept this offer and grant Vertonghen permission to speak with United.
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