I could’ve joined Arsenal instead of Spurs. I made the right choice
VERTONGHEN: BALANCE OF POWER IN NORTH LONDON IS SHIFTING OUR WAY
JAN VERTONGHEN could have joined Arsenal or Tottenham – and insists what is happening now proves he made the right choice in heading for White Hart Lane.
He had offers from both north London clubs when he left Ajax in 2012 and believes a shift of power has begun in Spurs’ favour which will lead to a new era of success.
The Gunners have won three FA Cups in the past four years and Vertonghen has yet to lift silverware with Spurs.
But he is convinced it is a situation which will soon change, with Spurs still in the FA Cup and Champions League.
“It was as close as it can get,” said the Belgium defender. “My agent went to Arsenal, I wasn’t there myself but it was very respectful and in the end I had to make a choice.
“I chose Spurs and I think it’s turned out well. I felt I was joining a great team, with great plans and the personal chats I had with people at Spurs were great. I followed my instinct, my gut feeling and that’s it.
“I don’t want to say it on the basis of one season, maybe two seasons, but the last three – including this one – we’ve done very well. We’re building a great team with the manager, and the new stadium is coming up.
“I’m very, very confident we will win a trophy very soon. You want to win trophies. I want to play in a cup final.
“That’s what happened at Ajax. We were a team with a lot of quality that was waiting for a few years for a trophy.
“Sometimes you need that trophy or a big win against a Real Madrid or top-six side to realise how good you are. I am convinced that if you win one trophy, the rest will follow.
“We are trying to finish in the top four, so we have three targets. This is what we are playing for and I’m very confident we can keep it going.”
Vertonghen admits the last north London derby, when hot favourites Tottenham lost at the Emirates, was a shock.
Arsene Wenger has finished below Spurs in the table just once in his 22 years at Arsenal, but Vertonghen is confident Mauricio Pochettino will not only keep his current squad together but turn them into serial winners.
He added: “We’ve played big teams and often been the favourites. Maybe it’s a bit of luck. But at home we’ve a better record so I’m confident we can come away with a win this time. We just have to translate it.
“The manager definitely feels he has a talented group and we just have to reward ourselves and reward him because from the start he made us believe we’re a top team – and it is a top team.”