OPINION
Tottenham are a team in transition, which feels like a fairy odd statement to make bearing in mind it has felt as if they have been in transition for the best part of a decade.
Perhaps that’s unjustly facetious, perhaps it’s more accurate to argue that the club have had to evolve alongside the every growing parameters of what can be deemed a success in north London, but nonetheless, Mauricio Pochettino’s side are facing upheaval this summer.
After two barren transfer windows, signings have to be made, but just as telling will be who stays and who goes from the current playing staff.
Much has been made of Christian Eriksen’s future at the club, while Toby Alderweireld’s contract situation seems relatively precarious as well.
A third senior man facing uncertainty is Jan Vertonghen.
The Belgian international is entering the last year of his contract, and will leave Daniel Levy with a big decision to make this summer, as stated by Football.London journalist Alasdair Gold.
Writing for the outlet, he said: “Levy must decide whether to adequately reward an integral man in Pochettino’s team with a deserved, but unusual for Spurs, big pay packet for a 32-year-old.
“Pochettino believes that Vertonghen’s fitness levels mean he has years left at the top level, but it could also prove to be the case that Vertonghen has his own ‘retirement’ plan in mind, following fellow Belgians such as his close friend Mousa Dembele out to China to wind down his career in a lucrative manner either in January or at the end of his contract next summer and after eight years’ service he would do so without any malice from the club or fans.”
Plain and simple, Levy cannot afford a repeat of the situation he faced with Moussa Dembele in January.
The midfielder, admittedly plagued by injuries, was allowed to leave the club for a move to China.
That was a real shame for Spurs, but you can understand why they let Dembele go.
Doing the same with Vertonghen would be ludicrous.
The £100,000-a-week ace [Spotrac] still has a lot to offer in north London, and regardless of his age, he deserves a new deal.