Jan Vertonghen will sign a new Tottenham contract when he returns from the World Cup, according to a reliable journalist.
Football London’s Spurs correspondent Alasdair Gold has claimed on the site’s live blog (Friday, 1.54pm) that the Belgium international is set to extend his spell in north London.
Gold report that manager Mauricio Pochettino is “desperate” to keep hold of Vertonghen and his understanding is that the club’s player of the year is keen to put pen to paper on a new deal.
OPINION
It would be hard to find a Spurs fan who wouldn’t be over the moon at the prospect of Vertonghen landing a new deal. The Belgian is already on a fair old whack – stats site Spotrac put the figure at £89,000-a-week – third only to goal king Harry Kane and captain Hugo Lloris. But the centre-back did not pale in comparison to any of his teammates last season as he had arguably his best campaign since joining from Ajax in the summer of 2012. Commanding in the air, strong in the tackle, more mobile than he looks and a superb reader of opponents, not to mention excellent in possession, Vertonghen is the total package in defender terms. There will be great disappointment if, as expected, he is not partnered by countryman Toby Alderweireld next season, but Davinson Sanchez is the real deal and the left and right footer combination should still held Spurs have one of the most solid backlines in the league.