One of the key elements to Tottenham Hotspur’s recent success has been Mauricio Pochettino’s ability to forge a togetherness and team spirit in the squad since being appointed as manager.
This has led to the majority of Spurs’ key players committing to long-term contracts – but one man’s new deal is conspicuous by its absence.
Toby Alderweireld has still not signed a contract extension at Tottenham, with the club seemingly not initiating negotiations with the Belgian defender.
The latest rumblings suggest that Spurs will look to improve the former Atletico Madrid centre-half terms, along with Harry Kane – but similar reports about the defender’s future have been published in the press with regularity for the last 12 months.
While Tottenham have ensured that other key players around Alderweireld are tied down to four, five and six-year contracts, the 28-year-old has 18 months remaining on his current deal – with talk that Spurs can exercise the option of an extra year.
How did this happen?
While Davinson Sanchez has impressed since moving to Tottenham from Ajax in the summer and Jan Vertonghen remains one of the most under-rated defenders in the Premier League, Alderweireld is the club’s defensive leader.
Spurs have missed the composed centre-half in recent times as he recuperates from a hamstring injury and the side looks much more exposed without the powerful defender in the starting XI.
While it is hard to know what is happening behind closed doors, Alderweireld has remained professional when asked about his future and stated he is committed to the Tottenham cause.
However, should this ongoing saga rumble on to the summer, there will be plenty of top teams ready to take the Belgium international off the club’s hands.
Although Kane’s potential new deal is massively important to Tottenham, there is an argument to suggest that keeping Alderweireld for the remainder of his prime years is just as crucial to the club’s chances of winning silverware moving forward.
The Belgian deserves to be one of the club’s top earners and I for one am getting sick of the continual speculation over a new contract – get it done Mr Levy.
Exactly right, Sir. A North Londoner, though also now living in Western Australia, enough really is enough, and now today I have woken up to news of Real Madrid moving big-time for Harry Kane. It was bad enough seeing Jennings, Sheringham, Campbell, Berbatov, Carrick, Modric and Bale all leave Spurs – who would ever have thought one of the greatest English clubs would find themselves reduced to also-rans, selling great players to clubs that we were always equal to? Now, on the cusp of greatness, it is time for the board and this Daniel Levy to stand tall. We really have little or no choice. Kane has appeared for us at a great time. A Spurs fan, his development and great performances have coincided with our best manager since Burkinshaw, and the arrival of some great players, taking us over the last couple of years into the upper echelons where we belong. If you want a wage ceiling, don’t bother building a brand new 60,000 seater stadium that will only ever be half-full. We all know the salaries and transfer fees are mad, but if we don’t pay great players like Toby, Kane, Eriksen, Dele, Son, and the others the sorts of salaries they can easily get from others clubs, then we surely are doomed to become a second tier club.
I am a Spurs’ supporter of many years but even my rose-tinted glasses cannot see Spurs as one of the greatest English clubs. Spurs have been league champions only twice compared to Manchester United’s 20 times and Liverpool’s 18. Spurs have NEVER been European champions (Liverpool have been five times). Until the arrival of Poch most of Spurs’ seasons in the premier League were mediocre.
Now there is a buzz of excitement and potential about the place. Twice in recent seasons Spurs have been pressing hard for the Premier League title although sadly miles adrift this season to the magnificent Manchester City team. A new stadium on the horizon, some excellent players, a very productive academy. To progress to the next level Spurs must keep players like Toby and Harry and, most important, keep Poch. Whether Spurs can ever win the league when there are clubs like Man City with their enormous wealth and a superb manager is very debatable.
Never been European champions? You’re not a very good spurs supporter are You!
There is a reason that we are seeded when it comes to Champions league match allocations.
By European champions I mean winning the European Cup (as it was) or the Champions League which Spurs have never done, as you well know.