'Pay Up or Let Him Leave' - Toby Alderweireld's Agent Issues Transfer Ultimatum to Spurs

Tottenham Hotspur defender Toby Alderweireld should be given an improved contract that truly reflects his quality and importance or be granted a transfer away from the club. That is the strong opinion of the player's agent Stijn Francis.

Alderweireld has been a Tottenham player since 2015 and drew reported interest from Manchester City over the summer after rumbling of displeasure over his contract situation.

He stayed with Spurs after no serious attempts from anyone to prise him away ahead of last week's transfer deadline, but it appears that the issue over his contract still remains.

"When you look at Toby's statistics, they are impressive. Either he deserves an appropriate contract, or else he should be given a transfer," Francis is widely quoted as saying on Monday morning.

"Seven or eight big European clubs are interested in signing him. There are not many central defenders around who can play like he can," the agent added.

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"But these clubs will have to negotiate with Tottenham's chairman, Daniel Levy."

Tottenham famously have a very rigid wage structure in place and there were suggestions over the summer that it could lead to a potential exodus as players sought parity with their counterparts at similarly achieving Premier League clubs.

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Kyle Walker's move to Manchester City saw his weekly wages double, while there were suggestions that Danny Rose would force a move. Eric Dier was another of the club's key players linked with an exit if his head could be turned by a better offer elsewhere.