Toby Alderweireld will not be included in Tottenham’s squad to face Stoke City on Saturday, according to reliable Belgian football journalist Kristof Terreur.
No Toby again for Spurs. He’s fit. But Mauricio Pochettino will have his reasons. #thfc #coys pic.twitter.com/hKdDFHdA6x
— Kristof Terreur ? (@HLNinEngeland) April 6, 2018
The defender was not in the 18 that travelled to Chelsea last weekend despite playing 90 minutes for Belgium just days before.
Alderweireld suffered a serious hamstring injury in Spurs’ historic win over Real Madrid in the Champions League back in November.
He finally returned in February after three months on the sidelines, but the 29-year-old has rarely featured for the first team since.
According to reports, Alderweireld and Tottenham are caught up in a contract dispute – the club is apparently unwilling to meet his wage demands.
There have been suggestions that a falling out with Mauricio Pochettino has led to Alderweireld’s absence from recent squads.
But the Spurs manager says the centre-back is still building his fitness after the “massive injury” he suffered last year.
However, the situation is reminsicent of Kyle Walker’s final few months at Tottenham, when Pochettino gradually began to pick him less and less because of questions marks over his commitment.
Walker eventually left for Manchester City, and it wouldn’t be a huge surprise to see Alderweireld exit the club this summer.
