Jan Vertonghen is open to extending his Tottenham contract beyond 2020 and believes he can continue playing for another four or five years.
The 31-year-old is out of contract at the end of the season and Spurs will exercise a one-year option soon. Vertonghen says he is not currently in talks over a new deal but insists he would be happy to do so.
“I’ve got a contract until 2020 — there’s an option and Tottenham will take that option,” he told Standard Sport while handing out presents to children at North Middlesex Hospital.
“So I’ve got a year and a half left and then we’ll see. The way I feel now, I’ve got at least four to five good years left in the tank.
“There are no talks [with the club], but that’s something to discuss. At the moment I feel great at Tottenham. It’s a club with unbelievable potential — not just the players but everything around it. Everyone wants to be part of it.”
The Belgium international spent nine seasons at Ajax before joining Spurs in 2013 and his mother has said he could return to the Eredivisie club before he retires.
“You never know, but I’ve got a great passion for Ajax,” he said. “I’d probably live in Amsterdam [when I retire]. I can see myself in Belgium a day or two a week with family — it’s only an hour and half drive. My missus is from there. I love the open environment, people being open-minded. I lived there for nine years, it’s a nice city. It has a good quality of life and diversity.”
Asked if he has any interest in becoming a manager when he retires, Vertonghen said: “At the moment, no. I can see how demanding it is — I see our manager. To come straight out of football, it’s good to get your head off football for a bit. That’s how I think now anyway. For the moment I just think about playing football and not about managing.
“I want to start with something, and that’s probably not going to be my coaching badges. I hope I find something demanding, something I can put my soul and passion into.”
