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Regardless of how Tottenham conclude the current campaign, Mauricio Pochettino is facing an uphill battle to keep one of his best players at the club in the summer transfer window.
What’s the word?
The signing of a new contract is typically greeted with unanimous enthusiasm and a feeling of assurance regarding a player’s long-term future.
Alderweireld’s decision to pen terms on a new deal shortly after the turn of the year, though, provided a rather antithetical feeling: one defined by insecurity and apprehension over his future in north London.
The inclusion of a £25 million release clause this summer, which will be active until the final two weeks of the transfer window, represents daylight robbery for a player of his quality and experience.
With that in mind, Spurs fans have been wondering whether the Belgium international could be inclined to sign a new deal to deter interest from outside the club, and one fan posed that question to football.london’s Tottenham correspondent Alasdair Gold on Monday.
The fans asked what it would take for Christian Eriksen and Alderweireld to sign new deals with the club, and his response in regard to the latter pointed towards a summer departure.
‘With Alderweireld it’s a different situation because of that clause in his contract, triggered by the recent extension, which states that he can go for £25m this summer before the final two weeks of the window.
‘For the Belgian it would be a strange move to sign a new deal now when he could have options galore in the summer.’
Alderweireld looking for a new challenge?
As much as it would pain supporters to admit, Gold is spot on his assessment.
At this moment in time the 29-year-old is in an incredibly advantageous position for a player with a genuine desire to leave the club, and his price-tag should draw in a multitude of coveted suitors when the summer window opens for business.
If Alderweireld did not want to weigh up his options and consider other avenues to explore in his career, he would simply sign a new deal without the inclusion of a release clause.
With ‘options galore’ likely to be presented in front of Alderweireld this summer, Pochettino and Tottenham should be preparing for a future without him.
The seeds have been planted for the former Atletico Madrid man to embark on a new challenge this summer.