Southampton will consider legal action if they fail to sign Toby Alderweireld from Atlético Madrid on a permanent deal after the Spanish club failed to cancel the Belgium defender’s buy-out clause in time. The club believe they are entitled to purchase the Belgium defender, who impressed during his loan spell at St Mary’s last season, for £6.8m due to Atlético not availing of the option to cancel the clause for £1.5m.
Tottenham were considered favourites to sign the player, who had struggled to find his way into Diego Simeone’s plans at the Vicente Calderón before last season’s temporary switch to St Mary’s. Reports earlier on Sunday suggested that the Spurs chairman, Daniel Levy, and the Atlético chief executive, Miguel Ángel Gil, had agreed a fee of around £11.5m after a weekend of negotiations in Madrid.
However, Southampton have learned of the Spanish club’s failure to cancel the clause, and now believe they not only have first refusal on the 26-year-old but also for a significantly reduced price.
Ronald Koeman, the Southampton manager, last week spoke of his desire to continue working with Alderweireld, who would also like to remain on the south coast, at a time when Tottenham appeared overwhelming favourites to secure his services. “The player likes to stay, we like to keep the player but it’s a little difficult at the moment with Atlético Madrid. I have a good hope he will stay,” Koeman said.
The possible signing of Alderweireld would be a timely boost for Southampton, who have already lost the England defender Nathaniel Clyne to Liverpool, while their highly-rated France midfielder Morgan Schneiderlin is being courted by Manchester United having previously expressed his desire to play in the Champions League.