‘It was strange’: £13m man admits people questioned his Tottenham exit

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Former Premier League ace Toby Alderweireld has admitted people questioned his decision to swap Tottenham Hotspur for Qatar-based outfit Al-Duhail in the summer transfer window, speaking to Het Laaste Nieuws.

Alderweireld may be the wrong side of 30 these days but, having played 35 times in all competitions for Spurs last season, the long-serving Belgium international had a lot left to offer at the top of European football.

It’s not even 12 months since his near-faultless performance in Tottenham’s 2-0 Premier League victory over Manchester City after all.

So there was considerable surprise when Alderweireld moved to Qatar in a deal worth £13 million in July – although the money on offer in the Middle East may explain why the veteran centre-back decided to spend the last few years of his career soaking up the sun in Doha and increasing his bank balance.

Was Toby Alderweireld right to quit Tottenham for Qatar?

“The club has paid a transfer fee for me and doesn’t pay my wages to tell me to lie on the beach,” says Alderweireld, who hopes to retain his place in Roberto Martinez’s Belgium side for the 2022 World Cup in, funnily enough, Qatar.

“In the morning I train for myself and in the evening with the club because I want to stay as fit as possible. I still have two-and-a-half years of contract left and I respect that. I’m happy.”

Alderweireld doesn’t rule out the possibility of returning to Europe at some point – similar to the way Axel Witsel joined Borussia Dortmund after a couple of seasons in China. However, he admits his time in the West may have come to an end.

“Never say never but the chance I’ll go to a top European club isn’t nil – but very small,” Alderweireld adds.

“People thought it was strange I went to Qatar but I can take my children to school and pick them up. That’s a luxury I’ve never had before.”

Tottenham replaced Alderweireld with Cristian Romero – a commanding, technically gifted defender cut from the same cloth.

The Argentine has endured a hit-and-miss start to his Premier League career, however. He was given the run-around by West Ham’s Michail Antonio before being sent off in Antonio Conte’s managerial debut against Vitesse Arnhem.