Tottenham have a huge void to fill when their star defender Toby Alderweireld surely moves on at the end of the season.

Spurs may have taken up the option to extend the Belgian's deal, but this is all academic in terms of his long-term future at the club. Now, Alderweireld's £25 million release clause was activated as collateral in the new deal, so it is open season for any club interested in the player come summer (as per The Guardian).

This comes as no surprise for fans who have experienced a torrent of rumours in recent times linking the former Athletico Madrid man away from north London, with Manchester United - desperately in need of a new defender - the most commonly linked side.

According to the Mirror Fabian Schar is firmly on the radars of Mauricio Pochettino's Tottenham and Unai Emery's Arsenal, but the former the most likely of the two to win his signature.

Switzerland international  Schar has been an absolute revelation since arriving for the nominally small fee of £3 million (as per BBC Sport) and has since helped the relegation candidates to one of the most staunch defensive records in the lower half of the Premier League - conceding only 38 goals.

Although scoring goals is hardly a defender's most important attribute, Schar has shown himself to be very capable in that aspect - adding three to Newcastle's Premier League tally this year.

His goal in February winning Goal of the Month even pipping Mo Salah, Georginio Wijnaldum, Marcus Rashford and Anthony Martial to the award proved his quality.

In the 27-year-old, Tottenham have a very viable replacement for Alderweireld. He is fairly young, similarly capable on the ball, and has shown that he can adapt well to the demands of the English top flight.

Indeed, given Spurs' recent flop on the run in for the Premier League title, they will be keen to address their shortcomings from day one next season - which means finding a compatible, malleable character who possesses all the right attributes to sit alongside their current starters.

Spurs fans, are you disappointed to see Alderweireld go, and do you think Schar is the perfect replacement for him? Let us know in the comments section below...