The 31-year-old will see his current deal in north London expire at the end of the season, though Tottenham are expected to activate their option on a one-year extension before then.
Vertonghen wants to extend Tottenham contract beyond 2020
— Standard Sport (@standardsport) December 14, 2018
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Surprisingly, Tottenham are yet to open talks with the former Ajax defender over a contract extension, though Vertonghen has insisted that he would be open to the idea of a renewal. The defender told the Evening Standard: “I’ve got a contract until 2020 – there’s an option and Tottenham will take that option.
“So I’ve got a year and a half left and then we’ll see. The way I feel now, I’ve got at least four to five good years left in the tank.
“There are no talks [with the club], but that’s something to discuss. At the moment I feel great at Tottenham. It’s a club with unbelievable potential – not just the players but everything around it. Everyone wants to be part of it.”
Though Vertonghen pledged his immediate allegiances to Tottenham, the defender also refused to rule out a potential return to former club Ajax. The Belgian departed Amsterdam to join Spurs in 2013, but his mother has apparently admitted that Vertonghen could one day return to his former club.
Asked about a potential move back to the Eredivisie before he retires from playing, Vertonghen added: “You never know, but I’ve got a great passion for Ajax. I’d probably live in Amsterdam [when I retire].
“I can see myself in Belgium a day or two a week with my family – it’s only an hour and half drive. My missus is from there. I love the open environment, people being open-minded. I lived there for nine years, it’s a nice city. It has a good quality of life and diversity.”
Asked about the potential for a switch to management further on into his retirement from playing, Vertonghen added: “At the moment, no. I can see how demanding it is – I see our manager. To come straight out of football, it’s good to get your head off football for a bit.
“That’s how I think now anyway. For the moment I just think about playing football and not about managing. I want to start with something, and that’s probably not going to be my coaching badges. I hope I find something demanding, something I can put my soul and passion into.”
Focused on the three points. #COYS pic.twitter.com/uEDTlfVnBV
— Tottenham Hotspur (@SpursOfficial) 15 December 2018
In the shorter term, Vertonghen and Tottenham will return to Premier League action with a testing fixture at Wembley, as Mauricio Pochettino’s side host Burnley on Saturday.
Source : 90min