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Thursday, February 6, 2020 at 17:12
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Tottenham Hotspur won 3-2 in the FA Cup on Wednesday against Southampton, but afterwards it was mainly about Jan Vertonghen. The defender was early in the second half, with an 1-1 score, brought to the side by José Mourinho, a decision that arrived hard at the Belgian. With the head down, the stopper walked tens of meters past the field to finally sit down on the bench with a printed face. The emotions at Vertonghen release the tongues. “Are the powers of Superjan Vertonghen gradually worked out? ‘, Asks The newspapaer wondering.
By Tim Siekman
The video showing that Vertonghen has turned deeply into himself has been widely shared on social media. The 32-year-old defender is known to regularly show his emotions, but the reaction after his substitution was of a different caliber. Vertonghen, “a pile of misery,” fought the tears, noticed The newspapaer on. ‘Few football players who can sit as sincerely in pocket and ashes as Jan Vertonghen. If he is unhappy, nobody needs a translation, “it added The last news to. On the internet the verdict was ready: Vertonghen knows that the end is approaching. “He has given us his best years. I think he knows his days are numbered,” said a Tottenham fan on Twitter. “He is deteriorating and he realizes that”, another added. “Heartbreaking to see. This shows how much this means to him.”
After a moment of grief, the former defender of Ajax picked up again. “What you didn’t see on television: Jan Vertonghen’s reaction after the winning Heung-min Son hit,” continued The last news. “One jumped straight to the couch. A finger went up in the air. The jacket, which lay on his legs to heat it, he threw to the ground twice with a furious look. All frustrations out. Then he clapped his hands with his teammate to his right. Team above the ego. Vertonghen was genuinely happy with the profit from the Spurs in the replay against Southampton, but he had not forgotten his own disappointment ‘, the Belgian newspaper concluded.
“The way the cards are now, there won’t be another year”
In a searching team, Mourinho no longer seems to rely on Vertonghen if there is more room and speed is required. “With five in the back, we didn’t control the game, so I had to make that switch. Some players who are then switched react badly, but Jan reacted like the professional he is. I understand his grief, that is normal. He is always respectful and always professional. I am not happy to replace him, “said the Portuguese, who indicated that there was a chess game. “I had to play the chess game without runners, without kings and without queens. It was very difficult. I had to wait and I had to take a defender out. I decided to leave Japhet Tanganga and Toby Alderweireld, they are a bit faster anyway, to use the space a little better. I decided to sacrifice Jan. “
At the start of the season there was a lack of clarity about the future of both Vertonghen and Alderweireld and Christian Eriksen. Where the latter former Ajax player has since been relocated to Internazionale and Alderweireld has signed a new contract in London, there is no clear picture yet at Vertonghen. The fact that Tottenham has not yet signed a new contract with the Belgian international is due to the decline of the stopper, according to English media. A first sign on the wall: at the first games this season, Vertonghen did not make the selection under the then manager of Mauricio Pochettino. The departure of the Argentinian and the arrival of Mourinho could provide a reversal, but also below the Special One the routine is anything but a certainty.
Vertonghen has never been first choice under Mourinho and chances are that the trainer at Tottenham will never fully rely on the defender, who will turn 33 in April. Vertonghen joined the English club in 2012 and has since defended the club colors 307 times. In 2018, he was elected Player of the Year at Tottenham, but nowadays a longer stay in London seems to be an unexpected scenario. “Vertonghen’s contract expires at the end of this season and as the cards are now there will be no additional year,” concludes The last news. “Mourinho looks in the direction of the agent of the central defender. Vertonghen has always been a perfectionist. However, if something does not go the way he wants, he will let it go completely. We saw that on Wednesday evening. “
Vertonghen going off & taking the long walk around the pitch tonight made me properly sad – looks to be deep in thought about his future at the club. He’s given us his best years and has been excellent for many seasons now. Suspect knows his days are numbered now.
– Noz Ahmed (@NozAhmed) February 5, 2020
“He loses it in the legs”
In England, the media is slowly saying goodbye to Vertonghen. ‘It is becoming increasingly clear that he is no longer as before. He loses it in the legs, which is enormously frustrating for an emotional and intelligent player, “writes the Evening Standard. “The most painful thing about his emotional walk is that the experienced Belgian has been one of Tottenham’s best players since joining the club in the summer of 2012,” adds Football London On. ‘However, it seems that the time, and perhaps also earlier injuries, is catching up with Vertonghen. A man who was described by Pochettino just two years ago as a top athlete who, at the age of 40, was even able to compete at the highest level. Pochettino’s decision at the start of the season to pass through Vertonghen is much better understood with the knowledge of today, it sounds in England.
A new contract is not in line with expectations, according to Gary Jacob, Tottenham watcher on behalf of The times. In conversation with The newspapaer the journalist says that the costly Tottenham Hotspur Stadium plus the conservative attitude of chairman Daniel Levy regarding older, expensive Vertonghen players can cost the head. “Tottenham is pretty cool in their negotiations with their stars in that regard. You should know that in 2018 Vertonghen was still Player of the Year at Tottenham and look at his situation now. Moreover, at Tottenham they do not have the habit of over-30s to offer.”
“Moussa Sissoko extended for four years in September, but is an exception (together with Alderweireld, ed.). Usually, Levy grants his older players just one extra year,” said Jacob. The club expert, however, does not dare to rule out that Vertonghen will be longer the Spurs remains. In his reasoning, Jacob points to Mourinho, who may nevertheless stand in the breach for his pupil. “With José, Vertonghen is still in the top slider (Vertonghen is in good shape, ed.). In the past, he has also shown that he has no problem working with older players. Mourinho might be the driving force can be the force behind an extended stay by Vertonghen at Tottenham. “
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