Manchester United have passed on the opportunity to sign Christian Eriksen from Tottenham to prioritise keeping Paul Pogba.
The MEN understands United believe Eriksen, 27, would rather move to Spain after Real Madrid had a nine-figure bid rejected for him last year and are unprepared to accept Tottenham's offer of bidding for him.
United sources suggested Madrid were lobbying Spurs to entertain a bid from United for Eriksen, despite manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's admiration, to plunge Pogba's future into more uncertainty.
Real coach Zinedine Zidane wants to sign Pogba rather than Eriksen, whom Madrid unsuccessfully bid for last year, and the Bernabeu club had a risible £27.4m plus James Rodriguez offer for Pogba rejected by United last week.
Spurs are desperate to avoid losing Eriksen and Toby Alderweireld, 30, on free transfers next summer since both have entered the last year of their contracts.
The MEN understands Tottenham sources were 'gutted' United did not trigger Alderweireld's £25million release clause before it expired on July 25, having explored the possibility of signing the Belgian last year.
United have shown tentative interest in Eriksen in recent months but are wary of dealing with Tottenham chairman Daniel Levy. United have not signed a player from Tottenham since Dimitar Berbatov in 2008 and Sir Alex Ferguson once said negotiations with Levy were 'more painful than my hip replacement'.
Levy encouraged United to enter the bidding for Gareth Bale in 2013 and the club had a world record £86m offer accepted but Bale was set on joining Real Madrid. Levy's attempts to obtain as large a fee as possible delayed Bale's protracted £85m move until deadline day.
Eriksen outlined his desire to leave Tottenham in June but, having been courted by Real last year, would be accepting Europa League football if he were to complete a move to United.
"I feel that I am a place in my career where I might want to try something new," Eriksen said two months ago. "I have the wildest and deepest respect for everything that has happened in Tottenham, nor will it be negative.
"But I have also said that I would like to try something new."
