Arsenal are considering a shock transfer move for Tottenham Hotspur’s Belgian defender Toby Alderweireld in the summer transfer window.
The Sun are reporting that the 30-year-old center back could be on offer at just £25 million due to a clause which was inserted in his contract extension. This price is way below what many clubs would be willing to pay for the player.
The report further states that apart from Arsenal many other Premier League clubs are interested in the defender although no official approaches have been made. The release clause can be met up to the 26th of July, just two weeks before the end of the transfer window.
Alderweireld has been a cornerstone of Spurs’ defence since he signed for the Gunner’s North London rivals in July 2015.
The 6 ft 2 defender has made over 150 appearances for the club, playing an important part in their 2nd place finish during the 2017 campaign which has been one of Spurs biggest achievements in the club’s recent history.
One of the main reasons the Emirates club want the player is to bolster an arguably weak defence that has a poor record of Premier League clean sheets. This season, despite the purchase of defensive players like Sokratis, Arsenal have only managed 7 Premier League clean sheets.
The second reason Alderweireld looks an interesting target for Unai Emery is the alluring £25 million price tag. If Arsenal fail to qualify for the Champions League, it is believed that their transfer budget may be a lowly £40 million.
This means the North London club will need to think carefully before any expensive purchases, and opportunities like the Belgium International’s cheap release clause must be exploited if the club are to seriously improve the squad over the summer.
Although Alderweireld would be a brilliant addition to the Arsenal line up, with Aaron Ramsey’s departure confirmed this summer, many fans are expecting the club to sign players to bolster the midfield with signings like David Neres.
Alderweireld may not be the answer to all of Arsenal’s problems, but at £25 million, Emery will definitely be considering a move in the coming months.
