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This article is part of Football FanCast's Transfer Focus series, which provides opinion and analysis on recent transfer news...

Tottenham Hotspur chairman Daniel Levy is prepared to raise Toby Alderweireld’s asking price to £40m if his release clause of £25m expires this week, per the Daily Telegraph.

What’s the word?

The Belgium international’s clause runs out after Thursday.

Manchester United are said to have made Alderweireld a potential alternative to Leicester City defender Harry Maguire, the England international the club have been pursuing.

And the report claims that they could attempt to secure a deal for Maguire in the coming days in case they have to trigger the Spurs star’s clause.

Indeed, the piece claims that the club missing out on the Foxes star and then having to overpay for Alderweireld would be a hugely embarrassing sequence of events for the club.

An anxious wait

Alderweireld’s clause is so very close to expiring.

But until then, United, or any other club, can bid £25m and enter into discussions with the defender over a deal: Roma have also been credited with an interest by The Telegraph.

He was a cornerstone of the club’s run to the Champions League final and made 50 appearances in all competitions last season.

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Keeping him, obviously, would be a major boon to manager Mauricio Pochettino as he looks to launch an assault on the Premier League title next season.

As it is, though, the club face an anxious wait.

If a club comes in with a major bid in the next 48 hours, they will be forced to do business.

Chairman Daniel Levy would be well advised to leave the phone off the hook.