Inter Line Up Summer Move for Tottenham Hotspur Star Jan Vertonghen
By Max Cooper
Italian giants Inter have set their sights on Tottenham Hotspur centre back Jan Vertonghen as a possible summer recruit, as contract negotiations continue to stall between club and player.
The 32-year-old's contract expires at the end of the season and the Belgian star could leave Spurs for nothing, should he fail to reach an agreement over a new deal.
And according to the Evening Standard, Antonio Conte is keen to delve into the Premier League market once more and add Vertonghen to the list of English top-flight stars he has signed over the past two transfer windows.
It is also believed that I Nerazzurri have already made contact with Vertonghen over a possible move to San Siro in the summer, despite him previously stating he'd like to finish his career at his former club Ajax.
Inter brought in fellow contract rebel Christian Eriksen from Spurs in January, and added Victor Moses and Ashley Young to their summer signings of Manchester United outcasts Romelu Lukaku and Alexis Sanchez.
Conte is hoping to bolster his defensive options for next season, particularly if I Nerazzurri are unable to retain the services of star defender Milan Skriniar, who has recently attracted the interest of Manchester City.
Despite the rumours surrounding his future, Vertonghen remains a regular fixture in the Spurs squad, and he played the full 90 minutes in the 2-1 defeat to Chelsea on Saturday.
The Belgian defender has made 18 appearances over the course of the Premier League season, but the sudden emergence of Japhet Tanganga has weakened his position as a key player in the team.
Spurs boss José Mourinho has preferred a centre-back partnership of Toby Alderweireld and Davinson Sanchez of late, but he has also stated that he'd like Vertonghen to extend his stay in North London for the foreseeable future.
Vertonghen's agent Tom De Mul has also given a boost to Spurs' hopes of him staying at the club, admitting to Belgian newspaper HLN that his client is 'still super-happy at Spurs and loves London.'
“Jan is still super-happy at Spurs and loves London.
“He is still very committed. There’s a lot of respect for Tottenham, just like there is a lot of respect from the club towards us. That’s logical after eight seasons. There is a connection.
“We haven’t reached an agreement as yet, but we don’t rule out anything. There’s interest in him as a free agent, but Spurs is a very interesting option for us. The door’s still open.”