Toby Alderweireld has been an important player for both Tottenham Hotspur and Belgium for some time. Rising to prominence for his national team, in the run-up to Euro 2016 there was no player picked more by manager Marc Wilmots.
Able to perform well as both a central defender and at fullback, and happy to do either without complaint, Alderweireld is a dream player for managers to have.
It’s no accident, speaking to Marca he was asked what Mauricio Pochettino requires of him on the pitch: “To be a leader, who is focussed on defending and helping the team. I like to play the ball from the back. Fullback or centrally, I go where they need me. I feel good, confident.”
The Spanish newspaper asked Alderweireld if there are similarities between his current manager Pochettino and former boss Diego Simeone: “They have similar things like pressure or intensity. But there are also differences.”
Simeone seems very happy at Atletico Madrid, but has repeatedly been linked with a move to the Premier League and Alderweireld believes he’d do well: “Yes, of course. He can train here and at any club. He is one of the best in the world. It was a privilege to be with him, he taught me a lot.”
