Tottenham Hotspur intend to tie Toby Alderweireld to a new contract, which would stand to overwrite his current deal that contains a release clause of £25m.
The clause, which was revealed by the website Football Leaks, has been the subject of conjecture but it is understood that it essentially protects Tottenham against the defender leaving as a Bosman free agent at the end of his existing contract in 2019.
If the 27-year-old were to remain on his current £50,000-a-week basic terms up until the summer of 2019 – which is unlikely, given the club’s desire to renew – a one-year option would then kick in until the summer of 2020.
In the summer of 2019, Alderweireld would be permitted to leave if a rival club were to pay £25m for him and complete the transfer at least 14 days before the closure of the summer window.
Alderweireld would be 30 that summer and Tottenham might feel that £25m would represent a good price for him, then. Alternatively, they would get to keep him for another year. Tottenham maintain that none of their players have buy-out clauses that are currently active.
Mauricio Pochettino, the manager, confirmed that negotiations over a new deal for Alderweireld had started. “We will communicate as soon as possible [with the media],” he said. “It’s not good to talk in public.”
Pochettino is more interested in having Alderweireld back in his team. The Belgium international has been out since he injured his knee at West Bromwich Albion in mid-October but he will return to the squad for Wednesday’s Champions League tie against CSKA Moscow at Wembley.
Pochettino suggested that he would name Alderweireld among the substitutes, with a comeback to the starting lineup more likely at Manchester United on Sunday.