VERTONGHEN.. AND ON.. AND ON.. AND ON.. Jan is as fit as my new dog, claims boss Poch, and he can play to 40
MAURICIO POCHETTINO has claimed his “warrior” Jan Vertonghen can keep playing until he is 40.
And with his fellow famous Belgian Toby Alderweireld still to agree a new deal, the Tottenham boss insisted Vertonghen and Davinson Sanchez form a “perfect couple” in the centre of his defence.
Vertonghen, 30, has become a mainstay of the Spurs rearguard and is one of just 14 outfield players to have started every Premier League game for their club this season.
Former defender Pochettino said: “He deserves to be praised. In my opinion he’s one of the best centre-backs in the Premier League and in Europe. I think he is the complete centre-back. We have worked a lot together to reach the level that he is at today.
“He looks like a 20-year-old because it is easy for him to run. He is like my new dog.
“Physicality is his talent. It is genetic. He is an athlete and he could play until he is 40 because his physical condition comes very naturally to him.”
Pochettino, a centre-back as a player, recalled a Spurs game before he took over as boss when Vertonghen was nowhere near so impressive.
“I remember his body language when I watched a game against Liverpool (March 2014) in the season before I came. He was slouched in the tunnel. I told him when I came: ‘Why are you like that? You are here for a battle! You cannot show this body language – you are a warrior!’ It is difficult after showing that lack of energy to go out and take part in a battle. “Now, though, he is one of the important players in the side.” With Alderweireld playing only two FA Cup ties since suffering a hamstring strain in November, Vertonghen and £42million signing Sanchez are now the first-choice pairing at the heart of the Spurs back four. “They are a perfect couple and have a really fantastic partnership,” insisted Pochettino, who spent most of his playing career as a centre-back at Espanyol, as well as representing Argentina.
“Davinson has pace and energy, he is so fast, but he still needs to improve in different aspects and Jan is the perfect partner to help him to achieve all that we believe he can achieve. He is a great talent but he is still young. We need to think of Juan Foyth too. He is just 20 but a great talent too. He is going to surprise many people.”
Alderweireld, who is a doubt for tomorrow’s trip to Crystal Palace because of another hamstring problem, has 16 months left on his current £50,000-a-week contract.
There is a clause allowing Tottenham to extend the current deal by 12 months next year but the contract also allows the former Saint to leave next summer for £25.4m before the final 14 days of the summer transfer window. Spurs could opt to cash in earlier. “I am not involved in the negotiations and I don’t want to be because that job is so difficult,” said Pochettino.
“I leave it to Daniel Levy. Do I want Toby to stay? Of course, Toby still has a contract and is a player who is still at our club.”