MX23RW : Friday, December 20 12:36:05| >> :120:5713:5713:

Toby Alderweireld ends doubts over his Tottenham future by signing new contract

The Belgium centre-back would have been able to leave on a free transfer in the summer.

Tottenham defender Toby Alderweireld has ended speculation about his future by signing a new contract.

The 30-year-old, who was due to be a free agent in the summer, has agreed terms on a three-and-a-half-year deal at the north London club.

Alderweireld looked set to be leaving Spurs at the end of the current campaign as negotiations over a new deal had stalled and under Mauricio Pochettino there appeared to be little chance of them restarting.

But the arrival of Jose Mourinho has brought about a change and the Belgium international will now stay until 2023.

A club statement read: “We are delighted to announce that Toby Alderweireld has signed a new contract with the club until 2023.”

Despite his contract stalemate Alderweireld, who followed Pochettino to Spurs having been on loan at Southampton in 2015, has been a mainstay of the defence in recent times, making 50 appearances last season.

The club exercised an extension in his contract last term which also triggered a £25million release clause, but only Roma were interested in the centre-back and made a much smaller bid in the summer.

Alderweireld, who has a young child and a second on the way, has now decided to stay in London and has committed his long-term future to the club.

He told Spurs TV: “I’m very, very happy. I’m honoured to play for this club and I’m a small piece of getting to the next level in a couple of seasons. I think this is just the beginning of something big and something very exciting.

Christian Eriksen (right) and Jan Vertonghen's futures have yet to be sorted
Christian Eriksen (right) and Jan Vertonghen’s futures have yet to be sorted (Adam Davy/PA)

“I couldn’t see myself playing for another team. I think the club likes me, I love the club, the fans, the stadium, everything. It’s like I’m living some sort of dream.”

Alderweireld’s Belgium team-mate Jan Vertonghen is also out of contract in the summer and can discuss terms with European clubs in the new year, though has expressed a desire to sign a new deal.

Christian Eriksen has reportedly told Mourinho he will not sign a new contract and looks set to leave on a free in the summer, unless Spurs can sell him in January.

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2Leicester CityLeicester17123240112939
3Manchester CityMan City17112447192835
4Chelsea179263125629
5Tottenham HotspurSpurs177553224826
6Manchester UnitedMan Utd176742620625
7Sheffield UnitedSheff Utd176742116525
8Wolverhampton WanderersWolves175932421324
9Crystal Palace176561519-423
10Arsenal175752427-322
11Newcastle UnitedNewcastle176471724-722
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13Brighton & Hove AlbionBrighton175572125-420
14Bournemouth175481924-519
15West Ham UnitedWest Ham175481928-919
16Everton175392029-918
17Aston Villa1743102330-715
18Southampton1743101836-1815
19Norwich CityNorwich1733111835-1712
20Watford171610932-239

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