IT’S NO-GO FOR TOBY
Poch calms fears over Spurs star
MAURICIO POCHETTINO has told Tottenham fans to keep calm over Toby Alderweireld and trust in Daniel Levy.
With Southampton defender Virgil van Dijk heading to Liverpool for £75m, attention has focused on Alderweireld’s £25m buy-out clause.
But that can only be activated in a short window in the summer of 2019, when Spurs have an option to extend the Belgium defender’s contract for a further year.
Pochettino claims he has assurances from chairman Levy that Alderweireld is going nowhere, with the club confident they can agree a new deal with him long before then.
The Tottenham boss said: “This is a message for our fans and for everyone – he still has two and a half years of contract.
“Lionel Messi had six months left on his contract. Messi! Nothing happens. If something happens on Alderweireld, the club is going to communicate.
Talks
“But I don’t understand all these things when the players are all under contract. Daniel Levy said to me, ‘Don’t worry, gaffer. It’s two and a half years.’”
Alderweireld, 28, has seen a host of Spurs team-mates land new deals over the last 18 months but has yet to enter meaningful talks.
Pochettino said: “Players have signed contracts. But for different reasons. Players like Eric Lamela still haven’t signed. Or another player signs with two years left. But still Alderweireld has two and a half years.
“Hey, calm, calm, our fans because Daniel is very good. He has managed the club 17 or 18 years. Look at how Tottenham was 18 years ago and how it is today.
“I think full credit to Daniel Levy and let Daniel work. It is important the fans trust in Daniel.”
Alderweireld, who will miss tomorrow’s clash at Swansea with a hamstring injury, is way down the pay scale at Spurs.
He earns around £50,000 a week, less than half what Harry Kane gets, but can expect a bumper pay rise with a new deal.