Steven Caulker Signs New Spurs Deal Through 2016

Breaking news from Tottenham Hotspur, as centerback Steven Caulker has signed a new contract through 2016 with the North London club. Caulker, 20, is coming off a strong season on loan for Swansea City, where the defender played 26 times.

Caulker is a prospect on the rise in English football, as the central defender was called up for Team GB for the upcoming 2012 London Olympics. He has also been capped for the England U-21s, and looks likely to be a mainstay of the side in their preparation for the 2013 U-21 European Championships.

Rumours have swirled of a return to Swansea City for Caulker this offseason and he will miss the upcoming preseason for the Olympics, leaving the defender's future in doubt. However, the new contract seems to show a mutual appreciation between Caulker and new manager Andre Villas-Boas.

Caulker is an ideal central defender for Villas-Boas's system, able to use his athleticism to play a high line and strong in distribution. The new contract signals that even though Caulker may be late to arrive under AVB, he is very much in the future plans of the new Portugese gaffer.