UK Edition
Toby Alderweireld's Spurs future plunged into doubt with demand for 'correct contract or a transfer'
Toby Alderweireld has become the second player to go public over his displeasure at Tottenham Hotspur’s strict wage structure after his agent plunged the central defender’s future into doubt.
Talks over a new deal for Alderweireld have broken down in recent months, with Manchester City and Chelsea two of the clubs informed about the stalemate.
Alderweireld’s contract is currently worth £50,000-a-week and is due to run until 2019. Tottenham have the option of extending it by a further 12 months, but that would also bring about the onset of a £25million release clause that could be triggered in the summer of 2019.
Even though Alderweireld would be 30 by the time his potential release clause could be taken advantage of, Tottenham may have to seriously consider listening to offers next summer if no new contract can be agreed.
Danny Rose shocked Tottenham earlier this summer by giving an unsanctioned interview in which he claimed he is not being paid what he is worth by the club and Alderweireld’s agent has followed suit by making his grievances public.
Stijn Francis told Belgian newspaper Het Nieuwsblad: “Toby is always good. Even after his injury he recovered well. Tottenham's statistics fell sharply during his absence.
“If you only look at his figures, Toby is impressive and for his performances, he deserves either a correct contract from Tottenham or a transfer.
“For a transfer, you know that he can only leave Tottenham for seven or eight teams and almost all the other top clubs are interested in Toby.
“There are not a lot of central defenders of his kind, so they are sought after. But those clubs also know that they have to negotiate with (Tottenham chairman) Daniel Levy.”
Tottenham have left both Vincent Janssen and Erik Lamela out of their Champions League squad. Lamela is injured and will not return before October, but Janssen is out of favour after failing to secure a summer move away from the club.