Manchester United transfer news: Eric Dier remains Jose Mourinho’s No 1 target despite Tottenham insisting none of their top stars are for sale
Spurs will be making a massive push for Premier League glory this season and do not want their squad broken up
ERIC DIER remains a top Manchester United target – and is open to a move – despite Spurs refusing to budge on any of their stars, according to reports.
Tottenham chairman and master negotiator Daniel Levy will not even entertain talks about the England star but claims the player and Jose Mourinho remain interested in a deal.
Spurs own a crucial chunk of the England squad – with Dier, Harry Kane, Dele Alli, Danny Rose and Kyle Walker – and their skill and unity took them to consecutive second-place Premier League finishes.
United would love to break that bond with a move for Dier and Mourinho would apparently play him in his preferred defensive-midfield role.
Dier – in 2010 while at Portuguese club Sporting Lisbon – revealed he was a Manchester United fan growing up and would find it difficult to reject an Old Trafford offer.
And United’s exciting summer spree - that has already landed them Victor Lindelof and Romelu Lukaku – could now extend to trying to tempt the fan away from White Hart Lane.
Mourinho allegedly made a soft offer for the Three Lions international at the end of last season that Levy laughed off.
But United are considering a second offer of £50m for the 23-year-old and would more than double his £70,000 weekly wage.
Eric Dier: Factfile on the young English star wanted by Man Utd for £50m
- Eric Dier was born on born January, 15, 1994 in Cheltenham.
- He plays for Premier League Tottenham Hotspur and England.
- A versatile defensive player, Dier has been used as a defensive midfielder, a centre-back and a right-back.
- His childhood was spent in Portugal, where as a Benfica youth player he was loaned to Everton.
- His professional debut came with Sporting Lisbon in 2012 when the club ended a run of eight straight losses thanks to his 'assist' to help beat Braga.
- It is Dier's football education in Portugal that gave him the sound technique that allows him to perform the holding midfielder role so well.
- Having joined Tottenham for £4million in 2014 Dier has since made 135 first-team outings, scoring eight goals.
- Experts readily agree that his one weakness is an apparent lack of concentration throughout the 90 minutes.
Spurs maintain a healthy pay structure that is currently capped at around £100,000 a-week but United would not hesitate in smashing that to land their man.
United have already awarded central midfielder Michael Carrick a new one-year contract and the captain's armband after Wayne Rooney's return to Everton.
And they are expected to sign midfield grafter Ivan Perisic from Inter Milan after he finishes teasing fans over social media.
Dier proved during England’s disappointing Euro 2016 campaign that he is more than a defensive powerhouse with a stunning free-kick goal.