Toby Alderweireld’s possible sale this summer would hurt Tottenham Hotspur, but it could in turn bring out the very best in Davinson Sanchez.
As recently reported by Sky Sports, Tottenham Hotspur defender Toby Alderweireld suggested that he could see himself seeing out the final two years of his contract with the north Londoners, but the fact remains he has long been linked with a summer move to Manchester United.
Those rumours refuse to go away, and the saga is likely to accelerate after the World Cup, when the player can become an active part of discussions himself.
Over the past few seasons Alderweireld has established himself as arguably the Premier League’s best centre-back, having made 115 appearances in total for Tottenham and having been selected in the PFA’s Team of the Year a couple of seasons ago.
His ability to read games so well, dominate in the air and be forceful but fair in the tackle means that he would be a gargantuan miss for Tottenham if he left, but one man who has been quietly impressing alongside Alderweireld, and indeed in place of him when injured, is Davinson Sanchez.
The club-record signing from Ajax had a stellar first campaign under Mauricio Pochettino, and struck up a formidable partnership with Jan Vertonghen to the point where, if Alderweireld was sold, Sanchez’s development would be free to continue uninterrupted.
In fact in time he could well become as good as the 29-year-old.
The Colombia international has arguably proved to Pochettino that Tottenham need not go out and purchase an Alderweireld replacement, but instead allow his partnership with Vertonghen to go from great to potentially outstanding.
Receive exclusive football transfer news and updates twice a week to your mailbox
