Tottenham Hotspur star Jan Vertonghen was one of Andre-Villas-Boas’ best signings.
Villas-Boas admits he was not Kane’s best manager despite handing him his debut, repeatedly sending him out on loan.
The ex-Chelsea boss did not see Kane’s meteoric rise coming, but one player he absolutely got right was Jan Vertonghen.
Vertonghen was one of Villas-Boas’ first signings in 2012 and he still stands out as one of Tottenham’s best bargains of the past decade.
Looking back at Villas-Boas’ comments six years ago, he was never in doubt about the Belgian’s success.
Speaking just days into his first season, Villas-Boas hailed Vertonghen as Tottenham’s replacement for Ledley King.
He told ESPN: “We lost an extremely good player in King, but we still have experienced players and others with a bright future and in Vertonghen, we have a guy who can emerge as a big talent here.”
In his first season at Spurs under Villas-Boas, Vertonghen was voted into the PFA Team of the Year and impressed by getting forward and joining in attacks.
The following year a lot unravelled for AVB, and his desire to play Vertonghen at left-back ruffled the Belgian up the wrong way.
Only three of Villas-Boas’ signings are still at the club, Vertonghen, Christian Eriksen and Erik Lamela.
The flops like Roberto Soldado and Paulinho were terrible, but the ones who have remained are absolute gems.
As problems arise over the future of Toby Alderweireld, Jan Vertonghen looks more important than ever, and he can be the glue which holds Tottenham together over the coming seasons at the back.
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