Tottenham may be forced to chose between Toby Alderweireld and Christian Eriksen

Tottenham fans would love to give new contracts to both Toby Alderweireld and Christian Eriksen, but Spurs may only be able to afford one of the two stars.

Both Christian Eriksen and Toby Alderweireld have been integral parts of Tottenham’s success this season. Both players are also looking for bumper new contracts. It’s very possible Spurs will be forced to choose between the star duo.

That’s not a financial reality Tottenham fans are going to enjoy facing. Alderweireld is one of the classiest centre backs in Europe. His ability to ping passes all over the pitch really help make Mauricio Pochettino’s attack tick. Losing him would change the way Spurs are able to play out of the back.

Eriksen’s impact on the way Tottenham operate is even easier to see. When he’s at his best, he’s pulling the strings for Pochettino’s attack. His ability to cut open opponents via the pass or an effort on goal makes him an absolute nightmare to defend. Tottenham’s attack gets stuck in the mud very quickly without their Danish metronome at the controls.

Both players undeniably can make a lot more money at other clubs. It’s very possible either star could double their wages if they were willing to move to Spain or France. Tottenham may be willing to hand one of them a wage packet in that ballpark, but it’s difficult to envision Daniel Levy handing both stars such lofty contracts.

That makes it very likely that Spurs will negotiate with both players and sign the one who’s willing to be the most reasonable with his demands. The other, unfortunately, will likely be sold to help fund progress in other areas. The natural question is which player Tottenham would prefer to keep if all things are equal.

With all due respect to Alderweireld’s classy defending, the answer is clearly Eriksen. He’s several years younger than the Belgian veteran and plays a position that would be more expensive to replace via the transfer market. Losing Eriksen might require Tottenham to pay upwards of £80 million if they were determined to sign an immediate replacement next summer. Alderweireld couldn’t be replaced cheaply, but £50 million will still buy you a world-class centre back.

Tottenham also happen to have quality options behind Alderweireld in their central defence. Davinson Sanchez is clearly ready to be a starter every week. The young Colombian will only improve with more match time under Pochettino.

Juan Foyth might have even more talent. He’s a bit too daring with the football at his feet at the moment, but it’s not hard to imagine a scenario where he comes a world-class central defender. Combine those two players with the ageless Jan Vertonghen and Pochettino’s squad is well stocked at centre back. Spurs would need to add a fourth player to the mix if Alderweireld left, but they could get by with a young player who can grow into a quality Premier League starter.

The options behind Eriksen aren’t nearly as good. Yes, Dele Alli or even Erik Lamela can play as a No. 10 upon occasion, but neither has the creative vision and verve that defines Eriksen’s game. Spurs might try to cover for the talented Dane by purchasing someone like James Maddison, but that would represent a massive downgrade for Spurs in the short-term. Eriksen might be impossible to replace given Tottenham’s financial constraints.

Spurs fans can hope that both Alderweireld and Eriksen will commit their long-term future to Tottenham in the coming months, but they should be satisfied if Eriksen can be retained. He’s the player Pochettino can’t afford to lose.