With Spurs defender Toby Alderweireld agreeing to a new contract until 2023 on Friday morning, fans were quick to remember a superb piece of defending from the Belgian back in 2016.
The video, which was shared by LastWordonSpurs, shows Alderweireld chasing down current Arsenal striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and tackling the notoriously quick forward, before denying another Dortmund man and performing a wonderful piece of skill to take the ball away from an onrushing midfielder. Although his heroics weren’t enough to prevent the German side winning on that day, Spurs fans are delighted to see one of the club’s best defenders tied down for the next few years at least.
Since joining from Atletico Madrid in 2015, the Belgian centre-back has made 197 appearances for Spurs; scoring six times in the process. The 30-year-old defender has formed a strong partnership with Jan Vertonghen in that time and Spurs fans will be hoping that Alderweireld’s Belgian compatriot joins him in signing a new deal before the end of the season.
Has Alderweireld been Spurs' best defender in recent years?
Yes
No
Reaction from Spurs fans to the video of Alderweireld in 2016 can be seen in the tweets below.
Closing down Aubameyang since the beginning you love to see it
— Wharfey (@Wharfey11) December 20, 2019
Huge to get this man re-signed
— The Jose Effect (@EffectJose) December 20, 2019
The best Toby highlight
— Martin (@SpursfanMart) December 20, 2019
Any excuse needed to retweet this
— Smithers (@donalsmithers10) December 20, 2019
Wow! that’s why I Toby
— LIGHTERMA’N (@Aaronboampong1) December 20, 2019
toby
— Neil Dhot (@neil_dhot) December 20, 2019
These Spurs fans clearly loved the video of Alderweireld and will be hoping to see similar levels of defending from the £31.5 million rated man over the next few years.
What do we think?
Defending such as this demonstrates why Alderweireld was well-worthy of a new deal at Spurs and it will be interesting to see how Spurs’ defence improves as Mourinho builds around the Belgian, who will surely be a mainstay in the Portuguese manager’s back-line.