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Vertonghen wants to stay

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Jan Vertonghen wants to stay at Tottenham and is open to holding talks over signing a new contract, according to Football Insider. 

The Belgian has entered the final year of his contract with Spurs, and having been omitted from the club’s opening three games of the season, had been the subject of some speculation over his future.

But according to the report, the 32-year-old is happy to extend his time in north London, although he is only likely to be offered a short term contract by Daniel Levy.

Does Vertonghen deserve a new deal?

Without a shadow of a doubt, yes.

The Belgian may be getting on a bit by professional footballer standards, but he is still one of the finest players in his position in the Premier League, and the longer he can be held onto, the better.

Why Mauricio Pochettino saw fit to exclude him from Spurs’ opening three matches is anybody’s guess, but if he is open to signing a new deal then the club must go all out to make it happen, even if it is only on a short term contract.

Last year, the veteran defender averaged 3.3 clearances, 1.8 tackles, and 1.5 interceptions per game in the Premier League, as per Whoscored, plus 1.8 interceptions and three clearances per match in the Champions League.

Evidently, he is still a solid and reliable option, and despite his advancing years, it would be a travesty to let him go for nothing.

Vertonghen has been at Spurs since 2012, and at no point has his Whoscored rating dropped beneath 6.88 for a complete season.

That kind of consistency is invaluable, and should not be disposed of too readily.

Will he get a new deal?

If Vertonghen actually wants to stay then you would be surprised if Daniel Levy turns him away.

It is highly likely, however, that any extension will come with a few caveats.

For one thing, Levy’s wage structure is infamous, and given Vertonghen’s age, it’s hard to imagine him being given particularly generous terms with regards to his salary.

Secondly, and perhaps more pertinently, any new contract is likely to be short – potentially no more than another 12 months.

That would suit Spurs just fine, but would it be enough for Vertonghen? Only time will tell.

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