It’s sometimes hard to tell if a quote has just been taken completely out of context, but this does sound like one almighty dig at Spurs from Jan Vertonghen.
It’s not like Spurs have had an awful time lately, it’s just they never win trophies and don’t really look like ending that wait for significant silverware, so it’s natural that some players might look to leave.
The arrival of Jose Mourinho doesn’t look like it will change things, and a report from Football Italia about Vertonghen’s future does make interesting reading.
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They suggest that the player has denied signing a new contract at Spurs, and that has opened the door for a free transfer to Inter Milan in the Summer.
Speaking about his situation he said: “I want to play in Europe and learn another language. I want to sign with the right club. It could be Spurs, or another club.”
He went on to add: “It must be a club with ambition. I want to play in Europe, as the national team is important for me. It might sound weird, but since the coronavirus crisis there has been more interest. I’m a free agent and some clubs might not have a lot of money.”
The comment about a team needing to have ambition is an interesting one, and it sounds like he’s laying the groundwork to leave this Summer.
It’s also intriguing to hear that there’s been more interest, but it also makes sense. Clubs may struggle to finance big transfer fees this Summer, so free transfers will become much more appealing.