Tottenham are increasingly resigned to losing Toby Alderweireld after taking up their option to extend his contract by a year until 2020, thereby activating a release clause making him available for £25 million, sources have told ESPN FC.
While the release clause now puts a firm price on Alderweireld’s head, Spurs were facing the prospect of losing the Belgium centre-back for free this summer so have acted to protect his value.
But Alderweireld is reluctant to discuss a new deal and with the player turning 30 in March, sources said the club feel £25m would be a good fee for a player who cost them just £11.5m in July 2015. Indeed, sources said Tottenham might have accepted an offer in that region last summer — with Manchester United and Barcelona linked with a move — but that no approaches were made.
Spurs also recently took up the option to extend Jan Vertonghen’s contract by a year to 2020.