Toby Alderweireld has set his sights on a free transfer away from Tottenham next year, according to the Daily Mail.
The Belgian international did have a release clause of £25 million written into his contract this summer, but the deadline for that figure passed on Friday.
It is now understood that the 30-year-old will stay at Spurs for another season, and has his eye on leaving on a Bosman next year, with the potential for a higher wage packet from potential suitors as a result.
TiF Tactis – What does Alderweireld bring to Spurs?
Make no mistake, Toby Alderweireld is a top, top defender.
The Belgian may be 30 now, but he still has a lot to offer, and the prospect of losing him at all will be a real blow for Tottenham.
It is a huge surprise that nobody tried to nab him out from under their noses for the relatively low price of £25 million, but now Spurs face a real predicament.
Selling him this summer was never the plan, and their asking price will have no doubt gone up significantly since Friday’s deadline, but losing him next summer for nothing would be a disaster.
Alderweireld was arguably Spurs’ best defender last season, averaging more clearances and blocks than Davinson Sanchez and Jan Vertonghen, and being dribbled past more rarely too, as per Whoscored.
Losing him would be a seismic disappointment.
Likely to happen?
Unless a deal can be struck between Alderweireld and the club, then he will leave, it is that simple.
Daniel Levy will still hold out some kind of hope of persuading him to stay, but at this stage, his chances don’t look too good.
There is still the possibility that a club could swoop him and step him away before the transfer window shuts this summer, but Levy is a shrewd negotiator, and any side looking to do that would no doubt have to pay a pretty penny.