Jan Vertonghen keen to stay at Tottenham

Tottenham defender Jan Vertonghen has reiterated his happiness to stay at the club but does not know whether he will get a new contract.

The 32-year-old is entering the final 12 months of his current deal after the club exercised a year’s option last season.

The Belgian has been a key member of Mauricio Pochettino’s side over the last five years and the boss sees him as vital to the development of young defenders at the club.

There has been no offer yet, but Vertonghen is not looking too far into the future.

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Let the season commence 👍 #COYS

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“I just want to focus on this year, I know I have got one year left so I know a lot of questions will be asked,” he said.

“I have said it before, I am very happy at the club. The supporters have been great for me, the manager has improved me a lot and has a lot of confidence in me.

“I feel very, very good physically so I am not sure what is going to happen this year, I can only say I am happy where I am at and I feel the support from the manager, team-mates and the squad.”

Spurs are keen to build on their impressive season last year where they earned a fourth successive top-four Premier League finish and reached the Champions League final, and Pochettino called for them to “behave like a big club” in the transfer market.

Things started off well when they broke their club record to sign France international Tanguy Ndombele, but there have been no further additions and there is less than a week until the transfer window shuts.

Vertonghen says that the dressing room is ready to go again even if there are no more reinforcements.

“We just look at ourselves, we want to be in the best shape possible, whoever comes in or goes out that is out of our hands,” he added.

“We have got a great squad with great guys and whoever is here is ready to play for Spurs.”

There may be exits as Danny Rose, Christian Eriksen and Toby Alderweireld could all be sold before the end of the European window at the start of September.

Alderweireld seems the likeliest to stay as no club triggered the £25million clause in his contract, which expired two weeks before the British transfer window shuts.

He is still at the club, having played a full part in pre-season, and Vertonghen hopes it stays that way.

“You never know but I have played for so many years with Toby, he is a very good player and a great guy for the group,” the centre-half said of his international team-mate.

“Like I said it is out of my hands but he is here now and I am happy with that.”

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