“Do you want to sign?” – Tottenham player on Mourinho being key in getting deal done

Toby Alderweireld was in his final year of contract at Tottenham Hotspur as this season started.

The Belgium international committed his future to Spurs after signing a new deal with the north London club on December 20th and his current deal runs until 2023. This happened a month after José Mourinho was appointed as Mauricio Pochettino’s successor at the north London club.

When Pochettino was in charge of the Premier League side, there weren’t any concrete reports indicating the former Southampton defender would sign an extension at Tottenham. However, things progressed well after the Portuguese tactician’s arrival at the club.

This was confirmed by the 31-year-old during an interview with Het Nieuwsblad.

When asked what the first thing Mourinho told him? Alderweireld said: “Do you want to sign? [Mourinho asked and] I said yes, why not? That’s how the ball started rolling.

“I have always been open to an extension, but only with the arrival of Mourinho, the negotiations went smoothly. I am happy with my extension. The more I went to the end of my contract, the more choices I got. But the more I got the feeling: I really just want to stay.”

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Alderweireld had an opportunity to earn more by moving elsewhere, but he explained why he decided to continue with his current employer.

“In itself, I could earn much more elsewhere. I could have opted for a new adventure. I could have said that after five years and the Champions League final… maybe it was the right time for a new step,” he explained.

“But the more I thought about it, the less I felt like leaving. I also take other things into account. The relationship with the fans, for example. Or my family, who are happy here. Ultimately, one plus one plus one plus one gave me the feeling that I had to sign [an extension].” 

Alderweireld’s compatriot Jan Vertonghen’s current deal expires after this season. The former also spoke about the 32-year-old’s contract situation with Spurs.

“Everyone knows Jan’s qualities. He is a top professional and will be there if they need him. And I don’t say that because he’s a good friend of mine. Jan is going to show how good he is. I am 100 percent convinced of that,” Alderweireld said about Vertonghen.