Manchester United ready to massively overpay for Tottenham star
Manchester United really want Eric Dier
Tottenham aren’t keen to part with Eric Dier this summer, but Manchester United may be poised to make Spurs an offer they simply can’t refuse. Jose Mourinho obviously regards Dier as the perfect midfielder to help unlock Paul Pogba’s massive potential.
There’s no other explanation for United’s reported willingness to open the bidding with a £55 million offer. Dier is a versatile weapon for Mauricio Pochettino, but he’s hardly been a star for Spurs this season. His continued place in the Tottenham starting XI has largely been a product of injuries.
If everyone at Tottenham were fully fit, it’s entirely possible that Dier would find himself on the bench. He isn’t a good enough centre back to dislodge Toby Alderweireld, Jan Vertonghen or Davinson Sanchez. In the midfield, he quite clearly lacks the quality to start over Mousa Dembele or Victor Wanyama.
That might lead you to wonder why Mourinho and company would be willing to spend such a massive fee for the England midfielder. The answer is pretty simple. Dier’s ability to count as a homegrown star and fit next to United superstar Paul Pogba make him more valuable to United than any other club in Europe.
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Dier is at his best when he’s willing to sit back and shield the back line. Mourinho would love to acquire a midfielder whose defensive ability could allow Pogba to roam free. Nemanja Matic has done an admirable job of freeing his French teammate this season, but it’s widely believed that United will need to field a three-man midfield to truly unlock Pogba’s brilliance.
Starting a midfield trio of Pogba, Matic and Dier is a very attractive proposition for Mourinho. United have more than enough offensive quality to threaten any of their Premier League competitors, but they clearly need to add more balance to their squad. Inserting Dier into the starting XI could drastically improve Mourinho’s defense.
As I mentioned in the open, Tottenham aren’t looking to sell Dier. Pochettino values him for his versatility and his leadership in the dressing room. That doesn’t mean they’re entirely against the idea of moving him though. His form this season has not been excellent. The harsh reality is that he’s been pretty mediocre for Spurs this year.
That average play means he will be available for the right price. Tottenham have a shiny new stadium to pay for and plenty of stars to lock up with new contracts. If selling Dier allowed the club to hold on to the likes of Kane, Alli and Alderweireld for the long haul, it would likely be met with great enthusiasm within Tottenham’s passionate fan base.
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Manchester United will have every opportunity to purchase Eric Dier this season. They’ll have to pay through the nose to conclude a deal though. Tottenham know they have a valuable asset and don’t need to part with him. Mourinho will need to pay a small fortune to acquire the versatile midfield star.