Manchester United are the new frontrunners with bookmakers to sign Tottenham’s Christian Eriksen as Real Madrid shift their interest to an alternative transfer target.

Madrid looked on course to launch a big-money bid for Eriksen — who has refused to sign a new contract at Spurs — this summer.

Yet Real manager Zinedine Zidane appears to be dropping his interest, with fresh reports from Spain suggesting the boss is now looking at Ajax sensation Donny van de Beek.

United new favourites

And United have therefore been placed as the frontrunners to land 27-year-old Eriksen before the summer transfer window ends.

Bookmakers Betway have seen United move up to 2/1 (+200) favourites to land Eriksen this summer.

Real have slipped to 5/2 (+250), while Juventus — who are seeking midfield reinforcements and are also eyeing United’s Paul Pogba — are closing in at 5/1 (+500).

Amazingly, it was not that long ago that United were 14/1 (+1400) to sign the Denmark international. Yet increasing speculation over Pogba’s future means manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer is seemingly looking for a replacement.

Could Eriksen stay at Spurs?

Eriksen’s current contract at Tottenham expires in the summer of 2020, meaning the north London club risk losing him for nothing next summer.

There is therefore a viable argument for Spurs selling this summer and recouping some cash — much like Chelsea did when selling Eden Hazard to Real Madrid.

Yet Spurs remain on course to keep Eriksen past the summer, at a price of 1/2 (-200) with 888Sport.

That is in part because interested suitors may decide to take the gamble and not make a bid now, in the hope they can snare him for free 12 months down the line.

Of course, those suitors then run the risk of Eriksen signing a new Spurs contract, which he has admitted he will consider.

United may be favourites to sign Eriksen but their odds are yet to pass the evens mark and they have already landed Daniel James from Swansea.

It therefore stands to reason that Eriksen may well stay in London for the 2019/20 campaign.