Tottenham Hotspur are willing to listen to bids for centre-back Toby Alderweireld this summer after talks over a new contract broke down, according to The Times.
The Belgian is after an upgrade on his £50,000 per-week deal, but although Spurs have offered him more than double that to commit his future to the club, the player wants a figure closer to the £180,000 that Liverpool pay Virgil van Dijk.
Chairman Daniel Levy seems unwilling to offer such a sum to a player who will celebrate his 29th birthday next week and the Lilywhites are thus open to the possibility of selling him in the off-season.
This could be their last chance to offload the defender for his full value, believed to be over £50 million.
Alderweireld’s current contract expires in 2019 with an option for the club to extend it by a year; however, this would trigger a clause allowing him to be sold for just £25.4 million next summer, if an agreement is reached prior to the last 14 days of the transfer window.
It is understood that Premier League rivals Manchester United and Chelsea, along with La Liga giants Real Madrid, would be in the frame for the former Southampton star’s signature if he were to become available.
This is clearly a difficult situation for Tottenham as Alderweireld is a player that they would ideally not want to lose, whilst letting him go could mean strengthening a competitor.
On the other hand, with the Belgium international nearing 30 and susceptible to injury, this might be seen as the smart move.
Davinson Sanchez has impressed at the heart of the defence since being signed in August, whilst Jan Vertonghen and Eric Dier provide experience and power at the back.
Those options, combined with the emergence of Argentine youngster Juan Foyth, mean that the blow of losing Alderweireld may well be adequately cushioned.
Tottenham’s stance is that no player is bigger than the club and selling such a key man would be a strong statement to that effect.