Manchester United Transfer Rumour: Ferguson Targets Belgian Defender

Manchester United are considering a bid for Ajax defender Toby Alderweireld, according to Tutto Mercato Web. The report claims United manager Sir Alex Ferguson is preparing a £10m package to bring the Belgian international to Old Trafford.

The 24-year-old is an established first team star with the Dutch champions and has already made over 100 appearances for the Amsterdam ArenA club since graduating from the youth academy in 2008.

He is presently contracted to the club till the summer of 2014. And should the Belgian not sign an extension this year, it is likely Ajax boss Frank de Boer will look to cash in on him in the summer.

The good news for United fans is the Belgian has expressed a desire to play in England but only when he feels it is the right time in his career to make the move.

"If the time is right, it will come, but now Ajax is the most important thing. It won't be hard to play here all my life - but if I had to choose it have to be a nice club like Ajax again and there aren't many of them," Sky Sports quoted Alderweireld in December.

The problem for Ferguson, though, is that although Alderweireld wants to play in the Premier League, he has spoken specifically of Arsenal and Tottenham. And given both north London rivals have national team mates to tempt the Ajax star (Thomas Vermaelen plays Arsenal and Jan Vertonghen for Spurs) United may have a lot to do to convince Alderweireld to come to Old Trafford.

If he does come to Manchester, Alderweireld will expect to be a long-term replacement for Serbian international Nemanja Vidic. The 31-year-old has struggled with injuries in the last couple of seasons and is reaching the end of his career, with rumours of a move to AC Milan doing the rounds.

Ferguson does have other options though, with the Premier League leaders also linked to Borussia Dortmund star Mats Hummels and Porto's Eliaquim Mangala.