Ajax manager Erik ten Hag has admitted the Dutch giants may attempt to sign Tottenham defender Jan Vertonghen this summer.
Vertonghen is out of contract in the summer and has struggled for form this season. He was dropped from the starting line-up by Mauricio Pochettino at the beginning of the campaign and has not always been a regular under Jose Mourinho.
The Belgian was substituted early in the second half against Southampton last week after a ropey performance in the FA Cup fourth round replay. Vertonghen looked upset upon leaving the field, and after the game his agent admitted there is “a lot” of interest in the centre-back as his contract approaches its end.
Links with his former club Ajax are inevitable, and those links now look set to become stronger after Ten Hag told Dutch TV channel Ziggo there is a chance a deal could happen – but only if Vertonghen is available and Ajax are in need of a new centre-back.
“Jan has a history at Ajax. Of course we are following his situation very closely, but you also have to look at the position in which someone plays,” Ten Hag said via Voetbal International (as translated by Sport Witness).
“If that comes together, the availability and the position in which he plays, then he is an option”.
If Vertonghen’s game time continues to be reduced, we think there is a good chance he will opt to leave Tottenham even if there is a contract offer on the table.