Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur may battle for a summer transfer target.placeholder image
Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur may battle for a summer transfer target. | Getty Images
Manchester United and Tottenham are both targeting a rising star who is primed for a summer transfer
Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur may go head-to-head over a potential signing this summer as the two clubs look to strengthen ahead of next campaign.
Spurs remain focused on retaining their Premier League status this term but will be encouraged by their second-leg Champions League last 16 showing in midweek, as Atletico Madrid were beaten on the night in north London but went through 7-5 on aggregate. Igor Tudor’s side have it all to do in the league amidst injury issues and will be faced with a rebuild job this summer, which they will hope to go into as a top-flight outfit.
United, meanwhile, are closing in on a return to the Champions League under Michael Carrick after an impressive 3-1 victory over top four rivals Aston Villa at Old Trafford last weekend. While it is uncertain who will be in the dug-out next term, big-name arrivals will be demanded at the Red Devils over the summer.
Spurs and Man Utd set to do battle for Belgian wonderkid
According to reports by TEAMtalk relaying information from Fussball Daten, Spurs are ‘set to accelerate’ their interest in Belgian teenager Nathan De Cat ahead of a projected transfer battle for the wonderkid this summer. They are said to have been ‘wowed’ by the player during recent scouting trips to Belgium.
The 17-year-old Anderlecht midfield starlet has been identified as a rising star in his homeland and could be primed for a big move this summer, with Spurs looking to get to the front of the queue and beat Premier League rivals United to his signature. The Red Devils were previously reported to be aiming to get ahead of rival suitors to sign the teenager, who might have his pick of clubs this summer as things stand.
Spurs are said to view De Cat as the ‘ideal deep-lying playmaker’ for their system and will look to convince the Belgium youth international that the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium is the ideal next step in his development, while United have also scouted the youngster and Aston Villa and Brighton & Hove Albion are also believed to be amongst his admirers.
There is also significant interest from Germany, with Bundesliga giants Bayern Munich, Borussia Dortmund, RB Leipzig and Bayer Leverkusen also tracking the young midfielder – who sees his current deal run out in the summer of 2027 and is valued at £26m-£30.2m by Anderlecht.
De Cat transfer battle set to heat up for highly-rated starlet
Tottenham already boast multiple young midfield stars in their ranks, such as Archie Gray and Lucas Bergvall, and could see De Cat arrive in north London to become the latest wonderkid to take the Lilywhites by storm. The growing interest in the Belgian suggests that Spurs would have a task on their hands to get to the front of the queue and convince the youngster that their currently faltering project is the right one for him if he is to depart Anderlecht.
United, meanwhile, are awaiting a much-anticipated midfield rebuild and could see De Cat as a star for the future in that regard. While his name might not be as well known as other targets such as Elliot Anderson and Sandro Tonali at present, United are always scouring the market searching for the next big thing and De Cat could be just that. It remains to be seen which of Spurs or United – if either of them – are able to secure the signature of the wonderkid this summer.
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