Tottenham Hotspur defender Toby Alderweireld is hopeful of leaving the club this summer, according to a recent report from The Athletic

The lowdown: 'Phenomenal' servant

Alderweireld has been with Spurs since 2015, and has gone on to make 236 appearances in total for the club over the years, which includes 35 appearances in the 2020/21 season, as they finished seventh in the Premier League in a frustrating campaign for the club's supporters

Speaking in an interview with Football Insider back in December 2020, former Leeds United forward Noel Whelan labelled the Belgium international as a 'phenomenal player' and the club's best defender.

“Alderweireld is the best defender at that club. He’s a phenomenal player and it’s great to see him playing so well again."

Alderweireld's contract with Spurs is set to expire in the summer of 2023, but it now looks as though he won't see out that deal.

The latest: Alderweireld makes decision on his Spurs future

The Athletic report that Alderweireld has set his sights on a summer move away from Spurs, and he's confident that a move can be completed after the European Championships.

It's also claimed that Tottenham are unlikely to stand in his way over a potential exit either, with a rebuild likely to be in place for newly-appointed manager Nuno Espirito Santo.

Alderweireld is currently on international duty with Belgium though, and there won't be any move taking place in the immediate future, with Roberto Martinez's side set to take on Italy on Friday evening in their quarter-final clash at Euro 2020.

The verdict: A frustrating update for Nuno Espirito Santo's side

He's likely to leave a sizeable void in the Spurs defence if his departure was confirmed this summer.

Alderweireld has been a fantastic servant to the club over the years, having signed from Atlético Madrid back in 2015, whilst they were under the management of Mauricio Pochettino.

It will be a summer of change at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium though, with newly-appointed Nuno looking to add some his own players who are better suited to his system.

At the age of 32, some Spurs supporters might argue that Alderweireld has still got something to offer them this term though, and his experience playing in a back three with Belgium would certainly suggest he can thrive under Nuno's preferred system.