Belgium international Toby Alderweireld has signed a new three-and-a-half-year contract extension with Tottenham Hotspur until 2023.
Alderweireld’s new deal is said to worth around £150,000-a-week, three times bigger than his previous wage. He was one of three key Spurs players with their contract set to expire at the end of the season, with Jan Vertonghen and Christian Eriksen as the other two players.
The centre-back has been a key figure at the back since joining from Atletico Madrid in 2015 after a season-long loan at Southampton. Alderweireld has gone on to make 181 appearances after four years at the North London club.
Alderweireld’s future has been the subject of various speculation since 2018 when Spurs triggered an extension in his contract. He was linked to Manchester United and Roma in the summer after dropping out of the first team under former manager Mauricio Pochettino.
The defender’s deal was to last until the end of the 2019/20 season, but opened up a release clause of £25m for the most recent summer transfer window.
Now Alderweireld has put an end to talk regarding his future by choosing to sign at Tottenham under new manager Jose Mourinho.
Alderweireld told the club’s official Twitter account:I’m very, very happy,”
“I think no words can describe another couple of years here at Spurs, I think it’s no place where I can’t be happy.
“I’m honoured to play for this club and I’m a small piece in getting to the next level in a couple of seasons, to reach the Champions League season-in season-out and then going to the final as well, I think this is just the beginning of something big and something very exciting.
“People know my history, I played for Ajax and of course I have a lot of respect for the club but now I’m a Spurs player and cannot see myself playing for another team, I’ve got a love for the club. It feels like both ways – I think the club likes me, I love the club, the fans, the stadium, it’s like I’m living some sort of dream.
“From the beginning when I came here I think they accepted me very well, and then of course it’s like we’re friends, that’s very important too. I think the fans and the club can see this on the pitch as well that we really work for each other and want to achieve big things.
“We couldn’t do the things we’ve done in the last couple of years if you don’t have a very good group. We’ve come from young players to adults and it’s time to be even better.
“We want to get top four, I think it’s important for the club to get Champions League [football] again, and we showed last season in the cup or Champions League we can beat any team on our day so [there’s] exciting times to come and I think we’re going in the right direction,” he added.
