Tottenham Hotspur defender Toby Alderweireld has stated that he is still waiting on a new contract offer from the Premier League club but envisages himself playing for Spurs next season.
The Belgium international is one of the best centre-halves in the English game and a critical man in Mauricio Pochettino’s impressive side.
Alderweireld’s partnership with compatriot Jan Vertonghen was a key reason Tottenham had the best defensive record in the Premier League last season, with the North London team only conceding 26 times in 38 games.
However, the former Southampton loanee’s future has been in doubt, with his contract expiring in 2019 and no news over a possible extension.
Alderweireld told the Belgian press that he is waiting to hear from Tottenham.
“It depends on Spurs, it’s up to them to propose something to me,” RTL quote the 28-year-old as saying.
“For now, I still consider myself a Spurs player for next season.”
Alderweireld was also quizzed by Sky Sports over his future, but kept his cards close to his chest.
“There is no talk now, so it’s all rumours, because if there’s no talk there’s no rejection as well,” he said.
“We will see in the future how it will go.”
Tottenham have been quick to tie down their burgeoning talents to long-term deals, with virtually all of Pochettino’s starting XI signing new contracts over the last 12 months.
Alderweireld is the notable exception to this rule, with Spurs fans rightly concerned that the enforcer could be pushed out of the Premier League club.
Replacing someone of the 28-year-old’s ability would be a big ask this summer, but the Belgian’s comments suggest that he is eager to stay with Tottenham.
There is no doubt that Alderweireld could get paid more money if he opted to leave Spurs, with the North London side’s wage structure capped at £100,000 per week for the club’s top earners.
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