OPINION
Tottenham Hotspur will have their work cut out this summer if Toby Alderweireld does end up leaving the club.
The Belgian enforcer looks to be on his way out after failing to agree a new deal with the Lilywhites, with Daniel Levy to be forced to cash in on the 29-year-old while he still can.
Spurs will no doubt receive handsome financial compensation for Alderweireld, but they will be losing one of Europe’s best defenders in the process.
They cannot endure such a loss without addressing it head on by moving for a replacement immediately, and Mauricio Pochettino may do well to heed the advice of a club legend.
Speaking to the Daily Mail, Spurs hero Glenn Hoddle surprisingly raised the possibility of the club looking to sign Manchester City star John Stones, who has struggled for game time recently.
“Going back to Stones, it seems strange to think that any player should ever consider leaving Manchester City but I think the only worry for his career is whether he goes on to play enough club football.
“Pep Guardiola also has Nicolas Otamendi, Aymeric Laporte and Vincent Kompany to pick from so we’ll have to see how it works out for John. Perhaps Tottenham would be interested if they are unable to keep Toby Alderweireld?” he said.
Stones has played just nine minutes of City’s last four Premier League matches after recovering from a minor knee injury, with the club using various combinations of Kompany, Otamendi and Laporte instead.
While there is no reason to panic about Stones’ position at the club just yet, it is clear that he has his work cut out to make his way back into the team, provided all three of his counterparts stay fit.
At Spurs on the other hand, Stones would slot straight into the squad in Alderweireld’s place and be competing for a first-team berth with Jan Vertonghen and Davinson Sanchez.
That trio could potentially form a mean back three, and Stones would be learning from one of the best youth coaches in the business in Pochettino.
The 23-year-old will not be cheap, having cost City £50million from Everton in 2016, but Spurs will have funds from Alderweireld’s exit, and should be able to cough up the requisite cash to make this stunning swoop for an ideal successor.