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Ronald Koeman confirms Atletico Madrid's underhand tactics in Toby Alderweireld deal
RONALD KOEMAN has accused Atletico Madrid of missing a deadline to cancel Southampton's option to buy Toby Alderweireld.
Ronald Koeman says he 'doesn't know' what Atletico Madrid have done with the deal
The Belgian spent last season on loan at St Mary's and the Saints had a clause in his contract allowing them to make the deal permanent for £6.8million.
Atletico had the right to cancel this, for a fee of £1.5m, made payable to Saints, but Koeman claims this was not honoured in time.
And now, despite breaching the contract, Alderweireld looks set to join Premier League rivals Tottenham, with reports claiming he carried out a medical today.
Koeman said: "“What came out in the press, that Southampton signed an option to the player and Atletico Madrid is trying to pay back the option and our knowledge is that it’s, and was, too late.
"And what happened with Tottenham in the middle I don’t know – seriously, I don’t know what happened.
“Les Reed is working on that situation and I will wait for more news about the situation of Toby."
Toby Alderweireld is believed to have been keen on a Southampton stay
And Koeman has revealed that after talking to Alderweireld, it was clear his first choice club was Southampton and not Tottenham.
When asked whether he wanted him to return, Koeman said: “Of course. And the player told us the same.
"I mentioned that we had a talk to Toby last season, before then and not this season, and he was very happy about Southampton and we mentioned to the player that we like to continue with the player and that was the case to Atletico Madrid and what happened after I don’t know."