Sources: Tottenham to let go fans favourite after £12m asking price slashed

Sources: Tottenham to let go fans favourite after £12m asking price slashed

Wayne Veysey

Founder & Managing Director AUTHORITY Former chief correspondent at Evening Standard, Goal and Press Association with nearly three decades in national, regional and digital news and sports journalism. Wayne directs the network’s news strategy and high-level operations. FOCUS Editorial direction for the 11-site network and newsroom management. THE BRIEF Wayne oversees the network’s editorial standards across the network. He provides the final sign-off on all headline scoops, ensuring content across all platforms meets the standards required for a high-velocity newsroom.

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Tottenham will let Jan Vertonghen go for nothing after failing to offload him at the end of January, Football Insider understands.

The Belgium international, who turns 33 next month, is out of contract in the summer and has not agreed an extension.

A Tottenham source has told Football Insider that the club had told interested clubs at the start of January they wanted £12million for Vertonghen.

That proved far too high for suitors who included Ajax and Inter Milan and, by the time Spurs slashed their asking price less than half that at the end of the window, it had proved too late.

It means that the big fans favourite, who has been a mainstay of the team for eight seasons, will leave on a free this summer.

Vertonghen has lost his regular starting place this season but has still made 26 appearances in all competitions.

Eighteen of those have come from Premier League starts, with the versatile Belgian slotting in at left-back on a number of occasions.

The 118-times Belgium international's long-time defensive sidekick Toby Alderweireld signed a new long-term contract before Christmas.

But Vertonghen is two years older and is suffering from an increasing number of injuries, including ankle problems.

He is set to be one of a number of high-profile exits this summer, with another long serving left-footed defender, Danny Rose, also in line to depart permanently.

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