Toby Alderweireld set to sign for Manchester United as Tottenham defender closes in on £60m move

Manchester United are closing in on a £60million deal for Tottenham defender Toby Alderweireld.

Jose Mourinho made signing the Belgian centre-back a top priority at the end of last season, but United were unwilling to meet Spurs’ £75million valuation of a 29-year-old who would be available for a third of that price next year.

But Mirror Football understands that there has been a breakthrough between the two clubs and that United believe they will get their man inside the next 48 hours.

Tottenham chairman Daniel Levy, aware that Alderweireld was prepared to run down his contract before leaving when he became available for a cut-price fee, has now accepted that it would be better business to allow the former Ajax, Atletico Madrid and Southampton favourite to leave now at an optimum price.

Alderweireld’s form suffered last season when the contract stand-off appeared to take its toll.

Spurs boss Mauricio Pochettino turned to Jan Vertonghen and Davinson Sanchez as his preferred centre-back partnership.

That prompted United to make an initial £50million offer in May, but they began looking at Leicester’s Harry Maguire and Barcelona’s Yerry Mina when the London club refused to budge on their asking price.

Alderweireld had an impressive World Cup as Belgium beat England twice in Russia on their way to a third-place finish.

Mourinho has told the Old Trafford board that he needs a high-class centre-back with experience after signing Eric Bailly and Victor Lindelof – and now it appears the United boss has finally got his man after playing a waiting game.

Mourinho has been unhappy with the lack of progress in the transfer market this summer.

United beat rivals Manchester City to the £53million capture of Shakhtar Donetsk’s Brazilian midfielder Fred.

But his only other additions to a squad that finished last season 19 points behind the champions have been teenage full-back Diogo Dalot from Porto and Stoke keeper Lee Grant, who will be No 3 choice next season.