Tottenham Transfer News: Latest on Toby Alderweireld Contract Rumours

Tottenham Hotspur are reportedly at risk of losing star defender Toby Alderweireld at the end of the season, with the club unwilling to amend their wage structure as part of any extension for him.

According to Sami Mokbel of the Daily Mail, Spurs are keen to agree a new deal with the Belgium international, who is out of contract in 2019. However, Alderweireld is said to want £110,000-a-week, an amount Tottenham are currently unwilling to pay.

"Tottenham do have the option to extend his deal by a further 12 months but triggering it would activate a release clause in Alderweireld's contract allowing him to leave for £25 million in the summer transfer window immediately after the clause was activated," noted Mokbel. "The clause leaves Tottenham facing a huge dilemma over their next move."

It's added "Alderweireld is in no rush to sign an extension, perhaps understandable given the strong position he finds himself" and that Manchester City are keeping an eye how the situation develops.

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Alderweireld moved to Spurs in 2015, and since the switch, he has cemented a reputation as one of the best defenders in the Premier League.

These figures from WhoScored.com's Ben McAleer offer some insight into how important the 28-year-old is to the side:

While he isn't the most powerful, nor the quickest footballer around, his understanding of the game is evidently rich. Alderweireld is quick to spot danger, times tackles perfectly and is astute in the way he deals with dynamic centre-forwards.

He's also an excellent distributor of the ball. Alderweireld regularly picks smart passes into midfield, although he's also adept at booming long passes out to the flank or over the top of the opposition defence.

Losing him would be a massive blow to the good work that's been done by manager Mauricio Pochettino in recent years.

Harry Sherlock of Goal believes the centre-back has done enough to warrant the wages he wants:

Replacing him would be a massive challenge. While Jan Vertonghen is an excellent centre-back and Davinson Sanchez is a rising defensive star, Alderweireld has shown throughout his Spurs career that he's the man who knits the setup together at the back.

It's something Dan Kilpatrick of ESPN FC discussed after Spurs recently lost 2-1 to Leicester City:

As noted in the report, Tottenham chairman Daniel Levy is usually keen to prevent players from entering the final two years of their contract, meaning Alderweireld's situation is an unusual one for Spurs.

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There'll be Spurs fans enraged if they were to lose their key defensive cog. After all, the reported wage demands being made by Alderweireld are not excessive in modern-day football, especially for a player who is among the best in the world in his position.

If Tottenham want to progress and want to challenge for the biggest prizes, it's important they build their side around players like the Belgian. There'll be plenty of Spurs supporters calling for a rethink in the way their most crucial operators are paid.