Tottenham join race to sign the new Cristiano Ronaldo

Manchester United and Tottenham are locked in a transfer battle to sign the man dubbed the new Cristiano Ronaldo in his native Holland.

Memphis Depay burst onto the scene by scoring the winner in his country’s 3-2 win over Australia at the World Cup and with new Manchester United boss and current Dutch manager Louis van Gaal keeping a close eye on his development the Red Devils appeared at the head of the queue for his signature.

But Tottenham, who are overseeing a summer re-building job of their own under new coach Mauricio Pochettino, have joined the race to sign the Feyenoord forward.

And interest in the 20-year-old is sure to intensify should he put in another match-winning performance when Holland face Chile for the right to top Group B.

Van Gaal’s men are 31/20 with Ladbrokes for victory, while Chile are 7/4 to take all three points and top spot with the draw available at 12/5.

Depay, who also set up his side’s equaliser against the Socceroos, is 8/1 to score the first goal of the game should he get the nod to start for the Dutch but backing him at 5/2 to find the net at any time looks a safer bet.

The former Sparta Rotterdam man, called the new Ronaldo because of the way he takes free-kicks, scored 12 goals in 30 appearances and has been branded the next big talent to emerge from Dutch football.

Several clubs are reported to be monitoring Depay’s situation in Rotterdam but Spurs appear ready to fight it out to secure his signature with a bid in the region of £17m.

But Van Gaal will look to use his Dutch connections to tempt Depay to Old Trafford, while Spurs see the highly-rated forward as an ideal replacement for Gareth Bale, who joined Real Madrid last summer, and will try to bring him to north London on the promise of first team football.

All Odds and Markets are correct as of the date of publishing.

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