Tottenham star is making unreasonable contract demands
Toby Alderweireld is asking too much of Tottenham
There’s no debate that Toby Alderweireld isn’t making enough money at Tottenham currently. £50 thousand per week is well below the going rate for a world-class central defender. With that being said, the wages Alderweireld is currently seeking from his North London club are entirely unrealistic.
Reports from England claim that Daniel Levy is willing to pay the talented Belgian upwards of £110 thousand per week. Unfortunately, that isn’t enough to meet Alderweireld’s demands. The reports don’t pin down exactly what sort of compensation he’s looking for, but apparently he and the club are still miles apart.
If Alderweireld thinks he’s going to make more than Harry Kane then he needs a quick reality check. Kane is a 24-year-old centre forward who might be the top striker in Europe. Alderweireld, on the other hand, is a 29-year-old centre back that Spurs have proven they can live without.
For the record, I’m of the opinion that Alderweireld is a world-class central defender. Mauricio Pochettino and company are smart to try to tie him down to a new contract. Offering him a wage packet at the top of the club’s salary structure is entirely justified.
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That’s all the Spurs brass should be willing to do though. If Alderweireld is truly determined to maximize his earnings, his future will lie away from North London. That’s entirely his right. It would be disappointing to see him leave Spurs this summer, but that is what will happen if he prioritizes money over all else.
Clubs like Real Madrid, Manchester United or even Arsenal would be willing to pay Alderweireld more money than Tottenham will. That’s a harsh reality for Spurs fans but it doesn’t make it any less true. That remains the economic reality for Tottenham until their new stadium is paid for and starts to produce heightened revenues for the club.
The good news is that there is still plenty of time for Alderweireld and Tottenham to come to terms. All of these reports could be entirely false, or more likely, are the product of the defender’s representatives trying to secure the best deal possible for their client. It isn’t a hopeless situation.
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In the end, it all comes down to whether or not Alderweireld is willing to prioritize staying at Spurs over making the most money he can. Time will tell whether or not the Belgian is more concerned with love for the club or money.