---
title: "Tottenham Hotspur: Pochettino favourite could be set for shock move to Manchester City"
canonical: "https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/tottenham-hotspur-pochettino-favourite-could-be-set-for-shock-move-to-manchester-city/"
type: "post"
language: "en-GB"
author: "Thomas Ward"
section: "Opinion"
published: "2020-07-16T15:50:15Z"
modified: "2020-07-16T15:50:15Z"
---

# Tottenham Hotspur: Pochettino favourite could be set for shock move to Manchester City

**Tottenham defender Jan Vertonghen has emerged as a surprising contender to join Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City in the summer.**

Man City have set aside a sizeable transfer kitty worth [£200m](https://www.telegraph.co.uk/football/2020/07/14/jan-vertonghen-emerges-potential-free-transfer-target-manchester/) for new signings after the Court of Arbitration overturned their European ban, although Vertonghen will not cost a penny as he is out of contract.

As a forewarning to Spurs fans, this might come across as a bit of a shock.

According to [The Telegraph](https://www.telegraph.co.uk/football/2020/07/14/jan-vertonghen-emerges-potential-free-transfer-target-manchester/), Guardiola believes Vertonghen could become a short-term solution in the defence.

He has bags of experience at all levels of the game and is expected to adapt to [Pep’s style](https://www.fourfourtwo.com/features/long-read-guardiolas-16-point-blueprint-dominance-his-methods-management-and-tactics).

The Spaniard plans to improve his defence in the summer, as City have conceded more goals than Sheffield United and [Premier League](https://www.premierleague.com/stats/top/clubs/goals_conceded) champions Liverpool this season.

[\[freshpress-poll id=”309673″\]](https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/[freshpress-poll%20id=%22309673%22])

Guardiola is considering [the veteran](https://www.telegraph.co.uk/football/2020/07/14/jan-vertonghen-emerges-potential-free-transfer-target-manchester/) as a possible candidate for his summer rebuild after eight years with Spurs.

The Belgium international, 33, plays mainly as a central defender, but can also play as a left-back.

Vertonghen, who was a firm favourite of his former boss [Mauricio Pochettino](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/mauricio-pochettino/eingesetzteSpieler/trainer/9044), is expected to leave Spurs this summer.

He has formed a formidable partnership with [Toby Alderweireld](https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/tottenham-hotspur-news/tottenham-paul-robinson-alderweireld-omission-mourinho/) over the years, but this has been broken up by Mourinho, who has chopped and changed his preferred pairing in recent weeks.

\[freshpress-quiz id=”303369″\]

The Belgian signed an extension until the end of the season, even though he has hardly featured at all since [the Premier League](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/jan-vertonghen/profil/spieler/43250) restart.

For whatever reason, Mourinho seems reluctant to use him, although he did play the full 90 minutes in the 0-0 draw with [Bournemouth](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/jan-vertonghen/leistungsdatendetails/spieler/43250/wettbewerb/GB1/saison/2019).

As it stands, it is unlikely he will be offered a new deal by Daniel Levy, amid interest from [clubs home and abroad](https://www.marca.com/en/football/spanish-football/2020/05/19/5ec3cd09268e3e156d8b4583.html).

***Tottenham fans, do you think Levy should let Jan Vertonghen leave? Let us know down below!***