PSV Eindhoven have reportedly been in contact with Tottenham defender Toby Alderweireld about a potential transfer to the Dutch club.
Dutch newspaper De Telegraaf report that PSV are sounding out Alderweireld in case defender Denzel Dumfries leaves at the end of the season.
Alderweireld, who has made 15 appearances this season, signed a contract extension with Spurs in December 2019 which keeps him at the club until 2023.
The 31-year-old centre-back spent nine years with PSV’s rivals Ajax between 2004 and 2013, but the Belgian international is reportedly keen to move back closer to his home town of Antwerp.
PSV director Toon Gerbrands told the newspaper: “Our scouting consists of maybe a hundred players. Alderweireld is not in our plans at the moment.”
But De Telegraaf reporter Mike Verweij believes there has been contact between the two camps.
“Jan Vennegoor of Hesselink, scout of PSV, has called the agent of Alderweireld, Stijn Francis,” he told the newspaper’s podcast, as reported by Voetbal Primeur.
“Several players have been mentioned, and the situation of Alderweireld has been very explicitly informed. It is an open secret that Toby is at an age when he wants to return to Antwerp.
“Although he also has a very good relationship with Amsterdam. Perhaps some people in the Johan Cruijff Arena will also startle awake.
“But it is a striking story: PSV has inquired about a former Ajax player with three very large Andreas crosses on his arm from the city of Amsterdam.
“Whether PSV will become a serious option is mainly up to Ajax. When Ajax comes, Alderweireld does not have to think about it for three seconds.
“Then he would rather go to Amsterdam than to Eindhoven. They (Spurs) won’t let him go for nothing. He is now 31 years old, with a residual value of zero.”
Alderweireld could be in line for a rest on Sunday as Spurs travel to Merseyside to face Marine in the third round of the FA Cup.
Jose Mourinho is expected to rotate his side for the 17:00 kick-off on Sunday, meaning the first-choice centre-back pairing of Alderweireld and Eric Dier could be broken up.
Gareth Bale could feature after returning to training following a calf problem, while Steven Bergwijn is expected to be rested.
