- Tottenham defender Alderweireld has been a key figure in recent success
- Pochettino will undoubtedly be desperate to keep him at Spurs
- Wage demands cause problem, Tottenham not yet meeting £110,000+-a-week request
- READ MORE: Barcelona in talks to seal transfer of £100million Premier League star in blow to rivals Real Madrid
Tottenham won’t want to lose any key players in their current squad, but that’s the threat facing them with regards to Toby Alderweireld, as per reports.
The 28-year-old has been a pivotal figure in Spurs’ recent progress, making 109 appearances for the club since he arrived in 2015, as they have steadily established themselves at the top end of the Premier League.
In turn, there’s no denying how important he is to Mauricio Pochettino’s plans, but ultimately it doesn’t seem to be enough to give him the salary that he’s asking for.
According to The Daily Mail the Belgian international currently earns £50,000-a-week, but he wants a new deal that will pay him in excess of £110,000-a-week.
The problem is that Tottenham are said to have a wage cap at £110k-a-week, and that is where the fear of losing Alderwiereld ultimately comes from if neither party is able to compromise to reach a new agreement.
If that wasn’t a big enough headache for Spurs, it’s also noted in the report that they can exercise an option in Alderweireld’s current deal which will keep him at the club for another 12 months.
However, that will bring into play a £25m release clause, and the last thing that the club will want is to lose the centre-half for well below what he is arguably worth.
In turn, it’s going to be a worrying time until Alderweireld’s contract situation is cleared up, as not only has he been a crucial piece in the team, he still has the peak years of his career to come.
There certainly won’t be a lack of interest in a player who is an established figure for club and country, and so Tottenham will have to find some middle ground and get it sorted otherwise they could lose another important player after Kyle Walker’s exit this past summer.
The signing of Davinson Sanchez, who has proven to be a great addition, could soften the blow if he leaves, but they will want to strengthen rather than replace to go to the next level.