Ajax make contact with Spurs stars Alderweireld and Vertonghen over transfer from Tottenham

TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR are having to deal with admiring glances at two of their star defenders with Ajax making moves to sign Jan Vertonghen and Toby Alderweireld.

The defensive duo remain central to Mauricio Pochettino's plans although Alderweireld in particular has long endured speculation over his future in North London.

Ajax director of football Marc Overmars has confessed to making an approach to sign both players.

However, a deal being struck this summer was pushed back by both Vertonghen and Alderweireld, according to the transfer chief.

He told Fox Sports: "We have to be patient and see what the future holds."

The Amsterdam club's academy is among the most famed in the world and produced the pair, now 31 and 30, respectively, before giving them their professional debut.

Vertonghen made over 150 appearances for Ajax before heading to Spurs and he remains a consistent fixture in Pochettino's backline.

Overmars' comments appear to indicate that, were that to change, a switch to the Eredivisie would be on the cards.

Belgian centre-back Alderweireld spent time at Atletico Madrid and Southampton in between his spells at the two clubs.

With a reported £25 million release clause, a move to Manchester United has been rumoured for some time.

Spurs boss Pochettino famously gave a somewhat bewildering five-minute long answer when queried about Alderweireld's future in August.

"You [England] created football and you create the rules," he said after the 3-1 win over Fulham.

"Why didn't the English people in the past put 24 players on the pitch? Why is the squad 25 players if you can only play 11?

"Why not, like basketball, that you can change every minute? Why not like in Italy when you all can be on the bench and don't have a list of 18?"

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