Belgian waffle— how do Spurs replace Toby?
Spurs have managed to maintain a healthy stock of centre-backs over the past few seasons. A pleasant hangover from the 2016/17 campaign, when Pochettino would regularly play with a back three, Spurs have kept them in thick supply.
Jan Vertonghen and Toby Alderweireld is perhaps the finest partnership in the Premier League; with Juan Foyth and Davinson Sanchez two of the most exciting defensive prospects in European football. And if boots get particularly thin on the ground, there’s always trusty Eric Dier to step in. Heck, even Ben Davies can deputise on the left-side of a back three, as he has done for Spurs and Wales over the years.
Yes the North London club have been truly blessed.
But it looks likely that things are going to change this summer.
Ch-ch-changes
It’s widely known that Toby Alderweireld has a release clause in his contract which will be activated this summer. It stipulates that he can leave for as little as £25m. In this current, fiscally irresponsible climate, that represents something of a snip. It’s the smart choice too for nz sports betting. Let’s all take a minute to remember that Shkodran Mustafi cost Arsenal £35 million.
At that price, for an elite, proven centre-back, the Belgian isn’t going to be short on offers. There’s not a single side in Europe who wouldn’t improved by his arrival.
So that leaves Spurs with a world-class-defender-sized whole in their backline. So what’s the plan?
Well, the smart money would be to offer Toby an extended deal on vastly improved conditions. A well-monied, two-year deal. By which time Foyth and Sanchez will have two years more experience on the clock. It’s a fine idea, like visiting online slots real money. But that well thought out plan might risk upsetting Daniel Levy’s carefully designed wage model. Sadly, it’s a no-go.
If we’re to believe the tabloids, Pochettino is interested in recruiting ex-Chelsea defender, Nathan Ake, from Bournemouth as Alderweireld’s long-term replacement…
…for £40m.
Hmm, I don’t know, Scoob. Sounds like an awful lot for a vital wheel in a machine that conceded 70 goals last season. Is that the best you can do?
Elsewhere, Sampdoria’s Danish stopper Joachim Andersen is a name that’s been circulated, after an impressive campaign with I Blucerchiati.
Something that stood out about Andersen, apart from his boyish charm, is his long-range passing ability. Something Spurs would miss if Alderweireld were to depart. Only Inter midfield Marcelo Brozovic had more accurate long-range passing stats in Serie A last season.
He’d likely cost a good deal less than Ake, too.
