:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/46610954/GettyImages-474885616.0.jpg)
The rumors connecting central defender Toby Alderweireld to Tottenham Hotspur are hotting up. Today, the Telegraph is reporting that the Belgian is hoping to close a deal that would bring him to White Hart Lane.
Alderweireld, 26, is currently owned by Atletico Madrid, but he couldn't crack the first team despite an impressive run with Ajax in the Eredivisie. He spent last season on loan at Southampton where he was a lock-down starter and a key defensive cog for Soton. Chelsea are also linked to Alderweireld, but have reportedly cooled their interest lately, making Tottenham Toby's desired location. No transfer fee is noted in the Telegraph, but Tom Collomosse in the Standard suggests that Atletico are asking "close to £14m" for the defender.
A Belgium international, Alderweireld is apparently excited by the prospect of playing alongside Red Devils teammate Jan Vertonghen, and would join a Belgian contingent at Tottenham that includes Mousa Dembele and Nacer Chadli. Alderweireld would be a fantastic signing for Spurs. He's probably good enough to walk into the starting 11 alongside Vertonghen, and he could also provide emergency cover at right back should it be needed. He's a very technically gifted center back and has the ability to spray long passes out of defense, and is less likely to roam out of position or make forward runs out of defense (*cough*Vlad*cough*).
If this signing happens, the shoring up of Spurs' at times porous defense would assuredly be complete. The stable would be crowded, but it would mean that there would be a true defensive rotation, and there would certainly be some departures; Younes Kaboul and Vlad Chiriches would likely be out the door, and Alderweireld might also displace someone like Federico Fazio as well. It would also mean that opportunities would be few and far between for a talented youth defender like Milos Veljkovic, meaning he'd likely be out on loan again. That said, I'd take Toby Alderweireld in a heartbeat at £14m and hope this is a thing that happens.