Toby Alderweireld has performed a contract U-turn by signing a new contract with Tottenham, the club has confirmed.
The defender’s contract was set to expire at the end of the season, meaning he would have been able to agree pre-contract terms with foreign clubs from January 1st. But Spurs have now tied him down until the summer of 2023.
The agreement brings to an end two years of speculation surrounding Alderweireld’s future. In the 2017/18 season, Alderweireld was left out of Mauricio Pochettino’s starting line-up as a result of his refusal to commit to the club.
He found a way back into Pochettino’s good books last season after failing to secure a move away in the summer of 2018. No club triggered the Belgian’s £25 million release clause this summer and he has been a regular under Jose Mourinho.
The news will come as a huge relief to Mourinho and the supporters, who feared losing Alderweireld in January. The 30-year-old’s exit would have left Tottenham short at centre-back.
According to the London Evening Standard, Alderweireld will earn around £150,000 per week on his new deal, which is treble his previous salary.
✍️ We are delighted to announce that @AlderweireldTob has signed a new contract with the Club until 2023.
#THFC ⚪️ #COYS— Tottenham Hotspur (@SpursOfficial) December 20, 2019
An early Christmas present, and what a present!
We all love you Toby; best decision you have made in years.
Onwards and upwards.