Toby Alderweireld looks like he could be on his way to Manchester in the summer after the Telegraph reported City might be monitoring his progress at Southampton, the club where he is currently on loan from Atlético Madrid.
The Belgian international has been a big part of Southampton’s successes this season after he made a temporary switch to the south coast from La Liga last summer, leading some to believe that Saints could try to make the move permanent in the coming transfer window, with an option to complete the signing already agreed for £6.8 million.
However, Atlético have the option to buy out that clause for around £1.5 million, and sell the player to whoever they want, for possibly more than the few million they would get from Southampton for the player if they took their option to sign him on a permanent deal.
This is the first time City have been linked with Alderweireld since August 2013, when it was rumoured that he could make a move to City from Ajax, but then City would send the Belgian on loan to Atlético Madrid. He did eventually join Atléti in the same window, but didn’t have the best of debut seasons in La Liga, making just 10 starts in the league.
Alderweireld is only 25, and would bring the average age of City’s squad down somewhat. However, if The Blues did sign the Belgian defender, you have to wonder where that leaves Mangala and Denayer if he is involved in the first-team next season.
