Of the many eyebrow-raising situations at Tottenham at present, few are quite as baffling as Jan Vertonghen’s.
The Belgian defender has been a star player for Spurs since his arrival from Ajax back in 2012, making 285 appearances for the club in that time.
He’s maintained that status under various managers, including Mauricio Pochettino, for whom he’s made over 200 appearances, the most he’s made under any manager.
Indeed, last season the Belgian was one of Spurs’ star men, making 34 appearances in all competitions and playing a pivotal role in Tottenham’s run to the Champions League final.
The start of this season, however, has seen his role reduced drastically. Vertonghen was missing from the opening day win over Aston Villa and forced to sit on the bench against Manchester City and Newcastle. 
“His role has changed drastically in just two months,” he told the newspaper.
“Until June, Jan played everything, including the Champions League final. Now he’s sitting on the bench.
“But I’m not worried. For the simple reason that we know Jan – he has already played more than 100 international matches (114, ed.) and we know how important he is for the national team.
“His situation at Tottenham allows us to take advantage of this: Jan is fresh. (That’s an) advantage for us.“
