TOBY ALDERWEIRELD HAS has signed a new deal with Tottenham until 2023 to end prolonged speculation over his future, the Premier League club have confirmed.
Centre-back Alderweireld was into the final six months of his previous terms and had been tipped to leave at the end of the season.
However, the Belgium international, who joined Spurs from Atletico Madrid in 2015, has now put pen to paper on a fresh contract, in a huge boost to recently appointed head coach Jose Mourinho.
Alderweireld played in 50 of Tottenham’s 58 matches last season, including 12 out of 13 games in their run to the Champions League final.
He has also been a mainstay in the backline this term, starting 16 out of 17 Premier League fixtures.
After committing his long-term future to Tottenham, the 30-year-old defender told his club’s official website: “I’m very happy. No words can describe it.
“Another couple of years with Spurs – there’s no place I can be happier. I’m honoured to be at this club and I’m a small piece of the puzzle to take this club to the next level. This is just the beginning of something big and something exciting.”
Ajax academy product Alderweireld was one of three key Spurs players due to be out of contract at the end of the season, along with Jan Vertonghen and Christian Eriksen.
The futures of Vertonghen and Eriksen remain unclear, but Alderweireld insists there is nowhere he would rather be.
“If you’re happy and enjoying yourself time will fly. My family are also very happy here and I have had a good connection with the fans from the beginning,” he added.
“Everyone knows my connection with Ajax, but now I’m a Spurs player and I cannot see myself playing for another team. It works both ways – the club likes me and I love the club, the fans, the stadium. It’s like I’m living some sort of dream.
“From the moment I came here they accepted me and we have become friends. We really work for each other and can achieve big things. We could not have achieved the things we have over the last few years if you’re not a very good group.
“We have gone from young players into adults and now it’s time to become even better. We want to finish in the top four to reach the Champions League again. We showed last season we can beat any team on our day so there are exciting times to come. We are going in the right direction.”
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