Inter Milan interested in summer move for Tottenham’s Jan Vertonghen

Jan Vertonghen has been at Spurs since 2012, but this season could be his last at the club.

Tottenham have struggled to start the new campaign and currently sit in 11th place in the Premier League. Vertonghen hasn’t been immune from those struggles.

The Belgian center back turns 33 in April, and his contract will be up at the end of the season. According to a report from The Guardian’s Fabrizio Romano, Inter Milan want to sign Vertonghen on a free transfer this summer after Spurs told them the player would not be available in January.

The centre-back, who has been at Spurs since 2012, is out of contract at the end of the season and is considering his options. Inter were keen to sign him last summer but could not afford him then and, having been told that a transfer in January is out of the question, will try to convince the Belgian to join in time for the 2020-21 season. Spurs have not given up on agreeing a new contract with Vertonghen but Inter are preparing a three-year deal for the 32-year-old and the Premier League club are unlikely to offer the defender such a long deal.

Romano is considered now to be one of the more reliable journalists for transfers, especially those involving teams in Italy. This is a reliable report.

Spurs have been struggling this season, but Inter have not. At the moment, they’re second in Serie A, just one point off Juventus at the top. Antonio Conte supposedly wants to add Vertonghen to sure-up his back-line with another experienced defender.

It seems unlikely that Tottenham will budge on their denial of a January transfer. Vertonghen hasn’t been at his best this year, but he’s still one of the team’s first-choice center backs. If Spurs let him go, they would be significantly thinner at that position.

Super Jan is a fan favorite in North London, but the writing seems to be on the wall. His time at the club looks to be coming to an end. Inter could choose to offer him a longer contract, while any offer from Spurs probably wouldn’t be for longer than one more year.

This year is Vertonghen’s eighth at Tottenham. He has made well over 200 appearances for the club and has been a part of some of the best defensive units that Spurs have ever had. He could even be in line for a testimonial at the club one day.

Vertonghen might not be the only player leaving on a free transfer this summer. Both Toby Alderweireld and Christian Eriksen could be on their way out as their contracts also expire after the season.