Spurs fans have seemingly been split by the news that the club are reportedly going to offer Belgian centre-back Jan Vertonghen a new contract in the coming weeks.
According to the Athletic (via Daily Hotspur), the 32-year-old is expected to sign a new contract with the North London club to extend his current deal beyond the end of the season. The defender looks to be following the lead of fellow centre-back Toby Alderweireld, who signed a new deal under Jose Mourinho in December.
Vertonghen, who joined Spurs from Ajax in 2012, has gone on to make 301 appearances for the North London club in his seven years in England. The Belgian defender has shown his versatility in recent weeks, stepping up to play at left-back following the injury to Ben Davies and his performances have clearly been enough to convince Mourinho that he is worthy of a new deal.
Do you want Vertonghen to sign a new contract?
Yes
No
Reaction from Spurs fans to the news on Vertonghen can be seen in the tweets below.
He needs to go, he’s time is up
— Wymond Lim (@wymondlim11) December 31, 2019
Thank you for the service, but no thanks
— jb (@jackbla95162357) December 31, 2019
Tbh he’s past it
— The Jose Effect (@EffectJose) December 31, 2019
Have we a vets side then as he looked very poor against Norwich no pace and poor touches sorry I do love him but I think he’s finished
— sjk (@KSjkeer) December 31, 2019
Why
— Gio Dhan Dhana Dhan (@MahatmaWayne) December 31, 2019
No no no
— ??????? ??? ???? (@SAIF_Mou1) December 31, 2019
oh no his pace is gone
— Goktug #MourinhoSZN (@GoktugTHFC) December 31, 2019
These Spurs fans clearly feel that Vertonghen does not warrant a new deal at the club and perhaps feel he should leave the club when his contract expires in the summer.
What do we think?
Vertonghen, who is valued at £16.2 million (as per Transfermarkt), has been a useful player for Mourinho thus far and has shown his quality with excellent performances against Burnley and Wolves. If Spurs can get him on a reduced wage and perhaps utilise him as an experienced back-up to the first-team, then it seems like a good decision by Mourinho, but you feel that the Belgian defender is no longer at his best.