Toby Alderweireld has shared that Jan Vertonghen was the first player he told that he was going to leave Tottenham in the summer, as he told Al-Duhail’s Instagram account.
The 32-year-old shared that leaving Spurs for Qatari side Al-Duhail was like an ‘adventure’.
The hard-hitting defender spent six years in the colours of the Lilywhites and he was a popular figure with the supporters.
The Belgian formed a very strong and long-standing partnership with Vertonghen at the back, for both club and country.
One of the best centre-back partnerships in Tottenham’s history saw two of their star players depart 12 months apart from one another, and both on free transfers.
Whilst Vertonghen is in the Champions League with Benfica now, it’s a different story for his fellow countryman, who is now residing in Qatar, which will be the home of the 2022 World Cup.
Nonetheless, Alderweireld labelled Vertonghen a ‘good friend’ and how he was the first player to know that he was leaving north London.
“I took the decision, I talk to my family and I talk to my agent,” said Alderweireld. “Then, we made a decision. Everything was all positive.
“It was like an adventure. I was really looking forward to it.
“The first one to know was Jan Vertonghen because I played with him at Spurs and the Belgian national team as well.
“He was the first one I told. He’s a good friend.”
Even though Spurs were stagnating, Alderweireld was still one of their better players last season and someone the fans were keen to see stay at the club.
But Spurs had to move forward, and whilst he left the building, a rising star in Cristian Romero was purchased for big bucks, and aside from his time in the treatment room, he has looked like a top-quality purchase.
Things went horribly wrong under the now-sacked Nuno Espirito Santo, but with Antonio Conte at the helm, it’s Eric Dier now leading the charge from the back.
With Alderweireld and Vertonghen no longer at the club, he is now the senior man at the back and his performances have improved this season after a drop off towards the back end of the last campaign.
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