The Tottenham Hotspur fans in the Transfer Tavern are reluctant to accept the fact that Toby Alderweireld will leave the club this summer, as his cryptic comments in the media suggest his future is still undecided.
Whether Alderweireld will leave North London or not remains to be seen, but recent reports suggest that Tottenham are already preparing for life after the Belgium international. According to a report from The Sun, Spurs are hoping to sign Ajax’s highly-promising wonderkid Matthijs de Ligt this summer, but they will need to fork out a club-record £48 million in order to secure his signature.
The 18 year-old (valued at £22.5 million by Transfermarkt) is one of the most highly-regarded central defenders in European football right now, so Pochettino should do everything in his power to convince Daniel Levy to finance a deal if Alderweireld departs the club. A typical product of the globally-renowned Ajax academy, de Ligt possesses a fantastic technical ability which would hold him in good stead to slot into Tottenham’s first-team as early as next season.
De Ligt is a commanding physical presence at the heart of the back-four as his ability to read the game and complete strong, timely tackles has been a huge asset for the Dutch giants during the past two seasons. His form in the Eredivisie has enabled him to earn 7 caps for the Dutch national team already, so it seems clear that he is destined for an incredibly bright future in the game.
Naturally, Tottenham’s decision to break their transfer-record should not be taken lightly and Alderweireld’s decision will undoubtedly impact on Levy’s thought-process. However, considering de Ligt has the potential to cement his place at the heart of Pochettino’s back-four and remain there for more than a decade, it’s a deal which makes perfect financial sense for the club’s long-term plan.
Tottenham fans – thoughts? Let us know below!
