Manchester United’s terse response to Tottenham’s bid to sign Anthony Martial may reignite talks about a sensational swap for Toby Alderweireld.
Neither Tottenham or Manchester United want to sell a player to the other who might strengthen the purchasing club’s ability to win the Premier League. That’s what’s keeping Toby Alderweireld away from moving to United and Anthony Martial away from Spurs. At some point, common sense may just prevail.
If it does, this sensational swap could actually occur. The latest news regarding this strange transfer square is that United have, again, knocked back Tottenham’s attempts to purchase Martial. This isn’t a real surprise. Jose Mourinho and company aren’t going to want to play against the talented Frenchman multiple times per season. United would rather see him rot on the bench than help Spurs win silverware.
In similar fashion, Tottenham continue to quite United a massive price if they want to bring Alderweireld to Old Trafford. Mauricio Pochettino’s crew showed they good win without the talented Belgian last season, but they don’t to see him follow the Kyle Walker plan. The English right back moved to Manchester City last season and helped them win the Premier League in historic fashion.
Both clubs are right to be hesitant about strengthening the other. It would be bad business for either side. However, the idea of exchanging these two talents could be a way for both clubs to improve at once. That might not be an ideal solution for everyone, but it should be enough to push this deal over the line.
It’s easy to see Pochettino and Mourinho coming to an agreement. Mourinho wants to buy an established central defender who is already at the peak of his game. That’s the sort of player he prefers to manage. Alderweireld fits the bill. When he’s healthy, he’s arguably the top centre back in England. His wage demands might be an issue at Tottenham, but they are of no concern at United.
On the other side of things, Martial is exactly the sort of player Pochettino likes to work with. He’s at his best when he can shape and mold young talent in his own image. Martial needs that sort of attention from a manager to meet his considerable potential. Mourinho doesn’t want to invest that sort of time and energy into a young player. Pochettino bases his career on doing so.
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The real question is whether or not another European club jumps in and complicates things. It’s always possible someone might meet the current asking price for Alderweireld or Martial. If that happens, all bets are off. If it doesn’t, the two Premier League sides may begrudgingly make a swap deal that would strengthen both clubs.