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Toby Alderweireld is set to join Manchester United in January if he is not lured away by a European club before the end of the continental transfer window, according to ex-Tottenham Hotspur player Jermaine Jenas. 

The 29-year-old was subject to a number of bids from the Red Devils over the summer, although the north west giants were eventually unwilling to meet Spurs' reported £75m price tag - with the player becoming available for a third of that this winter. 

However, following the conclusion of the shorter English window, interest in the Belgium international from European sides has become apparent, with Barcelona, Paris Saint-Germain and Bayern Munich all said to be monitoring the centre back. 

However, former Tottenham midfielder Jenas believes should Alderweireld - who featured from the start during his current side's victory over Fulham on Saturday - remain at the north Londoners at the end of the month, he will be a Manchester United player for the second half of the season. 

“Spurs 100 per cent still need Toby. Davinson Sanchez is a good player but he’s not the finished article and he’s not better than Toby,” he told Express Sport.

“Toby and Jan [Vertonghen] together is quite possibly the best or the second-best centre-half pairing in the world.

“People probably argue Raphael Varane and Sergio Ramos [at Real Madrid], who run them close.

“Why you wouldn’t want that, I don’t know. I think his age and the fact that he’s started to pick up a few injuries doesn’t help Toby.

“From United’s point of view they were saying ‘why should we pay £60million when we can get him for £25million in January?’.

“I’m almost certain if he’s not gone by the end of this window already, then he’ll go to United [in January].”