Yesterday we relayed reports from Italy that suggested Inter Milan are chasing Tottenham defensive duo Toby Alderweireld and Kyle Walker.
Who really knows if there’s any truth to those rumours? One thing we think we do know, however, is the details of that pesky release clause that is always mentioned when Alderweireld’s future is brought up.
The rumour linking the Spurs pair with Inter suggests there is a £25 million release clause in Alderweireld’s current contract, which ends in the summer of 2019.
What it fails to note is that the clause can’t be triggered unless Tottenham trigger a separate clause: one that extends the Belgian’s contract for a further year until the summer of 2020.
Once that option is exercised, according to FootballLeaks (as tweeted by Belgian journalist Kristof Terreur), Alderweireld will be allowed to leave for £25 million in the summer of 2019.
As there are again many reports on a £25m release clause in Toby Alderweireld’s contract. It’s not active according to FootballLeaks. #thfc pic.twitter.com/eecQAaarlU
— Kristof Terreur ? (@HLNinEngeland) 19 April 2017
Alderweireld’s release is still copied and pasted everywhere. It’s clearly not active, but that’s just a detail.
— Kristof Terreur ? (@HLNinEngeland) 20 April 2017
So, technically, yes — Spurs could lose their best defender for £25 million, eventually. That’s probably why the club is working on a new contract for Alderweireld that will erase the release clause.
For now, there’s nothing to worry about as the clause isn’t active.
Let’s just keep him happy, with him keeping US happy, for as long as possible. He’s 28, not 21, and in 2019 he’ll be 30. £25m for a 30 year old ain’t bad, especially if we get two more great years from him.
By then, he may well want to cement his final years at Spurs anyway. And don’t forget, that no one had really heard of him until Poch helped to make him what he became at Southampton, while developing him further at Spurs. If he leaves, I’ve no doubt that Poch can weave his magic on a damn good replacement.
Dier is the one we have to worry about, but he’s happy here and he knows too that Poch is critical to his further development.