SAINTS remain optimistic of beating Tottenham to the signing of Toby Alderweireld - with the player's future likely to become clear next week.

The club remain in discussions with Atletico Madrid over a permanent move for the Belgium international, who enjoyed a spectacular loan spell at St Mary's last season, but they face significant competition from Spurs.

Atletico, who are now understood to be willing to sell, are due back for pre-season training on Wednesday and there is an expectation that a decision could be made by the end of next week, if not by the time they actually return.

 

The Spanish club's position on Alderweireld had been a little unclear so far this summer, and they were widely reported to be trying to use him as a make-weight in a deal for Chelsea's Filipe Luis.

However, with no luck on that front, and with the player himself keen to find regular football elsewhere, they are now said to have decided that they will sell.

Saints and Tottenham are believed to be the two main suitors, and the ideal scenario for Alderweireld is that he will make a return to the Premier League.

Interestingly, both clubs appear confident that the player favours a move to them.

Alderweireld is certainly on record as saying he would like to stay at Saints, and his representatives are understood to have also made positive noises towards the club at the end of last season.

Spurs do have the attraction of being able to partner Alderweireld with his international teammate, Jan Vertonghen, at the heart of defence, and are hopeful he will see London as a more convenient base.

Saints did possess an option to buy Alderweireld for £6.8m, as part of the loan deal that took him to St Mary's last year.

However, Atletico had the ability to cancel that by paying £1.5m to Saints, and, with Alderweireld's stock having risen, that is a course of action they are unsurprisingly taking.

They are likely to want nearer to double that amount before allowing the 26-year-old to discuss terms with another club.

With both Saints and Spurs expected to have the spending power to afford Alderweireld, it may well come down to a straight choice for the player.

If it does, Saints will hope that suits them.

Ronald Koeman said earlier this week: “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 for Southampton.”