Jan Vertonghen has hinted that he could look to quit Tottenham Hotspur in the summer, if they have not secured UEFA Champions League football.
The White Hart Lane men suffered a big setback in their pursuit of a top four place in the Premier League this season, when they lost 1-0 at Norwich City on Sunday. With Liverpool winning 4-3 against Swansea City earlier in the day, the Londoners are now six points behind the Reds, and also have to travel to Anfield at the end of next month.
Although it has been a troubled campaign for Spurs, who have had to try and integrate a number of expensive signings and took the decision to sack Andre Villas-Boas in December, it would be a huge disappointment if they are yet again absent from the Champions League next term. And Vertonghen, the Belgian international defender, has gone as far as to suggest this may force him to rethink his future after the World Cup Finals.
“Those are always difficult questions,” the former Ajax ace told the Evening Standard on Monday. “What I want is to be playing in the Champions League with Tottenham Hotspur, so I hope we get in this year. Do I have a decision to make if we don’t? I can’t say anything about that. Let’s see after the end of the season, after the World Cup Finals.”
Vertonghen, who looks good value for the £9.6million spent on his signature in 2012, remains under contract at the capital club until the summer of 2016. A regular centre-half, he has also performed at left fullback at times this season, and has established himself as a favourite amongst the Tottenham support, whilst he has also been tipped to become a future captain of the club should, of course, he remain in their ranks.
Meanwhile, The Telegraph claims the Londoners could be about to offer Vertonghen a new contract regardless of their finish this season, which would include a rise in salary to around £40,000-per-week, to ensure he remains at the club for the long-term. His current deal includes a 12-month option, which Spurs are likely to take up in any case.
As well as that difficult trip to Merseyside to face Brendan Rodgers’ side, Spurs also have to face other title favourites Chelsea at Stamford Bridge, in less than a fortnight, and the following week they welcome archrivals Arsenal to White Hart Lane. Whether they will also have to squeeze in the latter stages of the UEFA Europa League depends on their ability to overturn a 1-0 defeat in Dnipro, when the second leg takes place on Thursday.
Speaking before that loss in Ukraine last week, Tim Sherwood made no secret of his desire to do well in the often-maligned tournament, nor his belief that he has a squad capable of competing on two fronts: “We respect the tournament. We have come this far and we want to continue and progress in the competition. It is the only cup competition we are left in, and we have enough players in our squad to compete in both competitions and that is what we intend to do. It is the priority of the club to win both – a place in the Champions League and the Europa League. We believe we have the squad to do that.”
