Former Tottenham defender Toby Alderweireld says it would be “strange to say now that I should have forced” a transfer to Man Utd.
The Belgium international, who now plays for Royal Antwerp in his homeland, made 236 appearances for Spurs over six seasons in north London and made the 2018–19 Champions League final with Tottenham.
He formed a brilliant partnership with compatriot Jan Vertonghen in the centre of Spurs’ defence and his performances attracted interest from Man Utd over the years.
Following his brilliant displays at the 2018 World Cup, Man Utd ramped up their interest in the centre-back but found Tottenham’s £75m asking price at the time too much, especially when they knew they could get him for £25m the following summer.
Alderweireld never moved to Man Utd but he insists he was the last to know about any interest anyway as that is the “reality” of football transfers.
Alderweireld told Sport/Voetbalmagazine: “People wrongly think that players have a lot to say in transfers. We are usually the last to be informed about a potential deal. That’s just the reality. After the World Cup in Russia, I found out what was going on with Manchester United. That’s partly up to me.
“I always told my agent that I wanted to focus purely on football. I told him: ‘If a club comes, you can arrange everything and I will hear it.’ In the case of Manchester United, should I have been more committed? No, I don’t regret anything.
“My best years as a footballer have been with Tottenham. I have so much respect for that club that it would be strange to say now that I should have forced my transfer to Manchester United.”
Tottenham return to action on Boxing Day against Brentford with Antonio Conte’s side fourth in the table and looking to hold onto that top-four spot for the rest of the season.
They prepared for the restart with a 1-1 draw against French side Nice with Matt Doherty’s opener cancelled out by Antoine Mendy – but Conte was “satisfied” with the workout.
Conte told Spurs’ official website: “Honestly, I’m really satisfied with the game because with the players that didn’t go to the World Cup and worked for three-and-a-half weeks… I think when we work, many players can take improvement.
“It was really important to work with Bissouma, with Japhet Tanganga and now I hope that his physical problem has finished, it was important for Lenglet, for Davinson Sanchez and also for the young players, for Gil, I think it was a good game, also Sarr, I liked him a lot with the way he got into the pitch.
“Matthew Doherty has recovered a good physical condition, it was important to work with him, for Emerson also. It was good and I’m really happy with what I have seen tonight.
“Deki is in a good physical condition, Harvey White played like a number nine, he is a young player that I think is really, really intelligent, he can play in any role and I think the young players also deserved to have a night like this, for the Academy of Tottenham. It was a positive night.”
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