Huge snub leads to rumours of Tottenham cashing in on fan favourite

Jan Vertonghen TEAMtalk

Tottenham boss Mauricio Pochettino revealed that there was “not any issue” with Jan Vertonghen after leaving the defender out of his matchday squad on Saturday.

Spurs opened their Premier League campaign with a come from behind 3-1 win against Aston Villa, with Davinson Sanchez and Toby Alderweireld starting at centre-back.

And Pochettino said before and after the game that it was a tactical decision to not even name Vertonghen among the substitutes.

“With all the players fit you struggle to find a starting XI,” he said.

Belgium international Vertonghen, 32, is in the final year of his contract at the club and he was watching from the stands after Pochettino selected Eric Dier and Serge Aurier on the bench as defensive cover.

“This is my sixth season, I think everyone knows me. I am going to play the players who I believe deserve to play,” the Argentine told Sky Sports.

“There is not any issue, only my decision was to play with Toby and Davinson.

“We have more than 25 players and everyone needs to understand we have plenty of good players in every position.”

Only recently Vertonghen admitted that there were fresh doubts over whether he would remain in north London after next summer, despite admitting that he wanted to stay.

But this snub is sure to spark rumours that Spurs could be looking to cash in on the firm favourite before the European transfer window shuts on September 2.

 

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