Tottenham Hotspur fans believe Toby Alderweireld’s value has skyrocketed.
Liverpool have agreed to pay £75 million to sign Virgil van Dijk from Southampton, BBC Sport report.
The move is an important one for the Reds, and it has wider implications for the transfer market, particularly for defenders.
Arguably an even better defender is Tottenham Hotspur centre-back Toby Alderweireld, who has starred in the Champions League this season; but he faces an uncertain future.
Alderweireld’s contract expires in 18 months and Spurs are currently at a deadlock with the Belgian over a new deal, with the club likely needing to break their wage structure to offer a deal he would accept.
Van Dijk’s big money move to Liverpool has both positive and negative implications for Spurs.
On the plus side, if Tottenham did have to sell Alderweireld, chairman Daniel Levy would point to Van Dijk’s £75 million fee and clearly state that is where the bidding must start – and the high price would rule out several interested clubs immediately.
Worryingly though for Spurs, Van Dijk will earn £180,000 per week according to The Telegraph.
This is £80,000 more than Tottenham’s top earner, and Alderweireld’s agents will surely be pointing this out to their client and making clear he could get paid a lot more if he chooses to move on and Spurs cannot offer him a substantial increase.
Tottenham fans have offered mixed reaction to the news, criticising Van Dijk as overpriced compared to their own defenders, while reflecting on Alderweireld’s situation.
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