Toby Alderweireld says regaining Spurs spot is victory amid exit talks

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Toby Alderweireld was heavily linked with the Tottenham Hotspur exit this summer, but he denied that he wanted to leave.

In comments reported by the Daily Mirror, Toby Alderweireld has insisted that it was not true that he wanted to leave Tottenham during the summer, and suggested that he sees regaining his place in Mauricio Pochettino’s side as a victory.

It was a quiet summer for Spurs, with Alderweireld’s future acting as one of the key sub-plots during the window. Many expected the Belgian to head to Manchester United, but the centre-back remained a Spurs player after the deadline.

And despite barely featuring during the second-half of last season, Alderweireld has claimed that he did not want to leave the club after being quickly told that he was going nowhere and is pleased to be back in the fold with Tottenham.

“Everyone was saying everywhere that I absolutely wanted to leave Tottenham,” he said, as reported by the Mirror. “That’s not true. This summer, I quickly understood Tottenham wanted to keep me.

“So, I had to battle to get my place back in the team. To be in the first team again is a victory for me.”

Given the former Southampton loanee’s contract standoff with the club – the Mirror reports that he is currently refusing to pen fresh terms – the situation will probably be back on the agenda in the near future, especially as the January window emerges on the horizon.

But while he is back playing and adamant that he is happy where he is, Spurs fans will surely hold out some hope that the saga can be resolved by Alderweireld penning a new deal with Tottenham.

If the defender can rediscover his best form over the coming months, then he would arguably be entitled to ask for a lucrative deal – and Spurs would probably be making a mistake not looking to meet his demands.