Here are the Tottenham Hotspur evening headlines for Friday July 17.
Mourinho non-committal on Vertonghen future as Belgian’s contract nears end
Tottenham manager Jose Mourinho has declined to shed any more light on whether Jan Vertonghen will remain at the club beyond this season.
The Belgian defender, who has been at Spurs since 2012, signed a short term extension to his current contract to keep him in north London until the delayed end to the Premier League season.
However, Mourinho would not be drawn on the veteran’s longer-term future.
"I cannot say that, it's not for me to say that," Mourinho said during a press conference ahead of Spurs’ Premier League game against Leicester City.
“Someone who has been in the club for eight months cannot speak about somebody who has eight years of brilliant contribution to the club.”
Vertonghen, who turned 33 in April, has started just 19 league games this season and just one since the restart in June, but was used from the bench in Wednesday’s victory over Newcastle United.
Skipp described as “future captain” by Mourinho after signing new deal
Jose Mourinho was full of praise for Oliver Skipp after the youngster committed his long-term future to the club, but admitted Skipp might need to go out on loan next season for regular first-team football.
The teenager, who made his debut under Mauricio Pochettino, has signed a new deal to keep him at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium until 2024.
Skipp has started just twice under Mourinho, against Burnley in the league and Norwich City in the cup, but Mourinho made it clear he sees the midfielder as a big part of the club’s future and a potential future captain.
“I think he's genuinely Tottenham's future,” the manager told football.london at his pre-match press conference.
“He's one of these players by human quality, by personality, he is one of these kids that I have no doubt he will be an important player for Tottenham.
"I never told him I want him to go on loan… [but] … in his mind he wants to go on loan, six months, the whole season. He feels that he needs that, I also feel that would be good for his evolution, so maybe that is the direction we go.
"I think he can be more than a player, he can be a future captain here. Hugo, Harry - I see this kid being one day a future captain here by his character, by his personality.”
Wigan teenager to become Spurs’ first summer signing
Tottenham are poised to welcome Alfie Devine into their academy after having a bid accepted for the Wigan Athletic youngster.
The 15-year-old is set for a medical after a “significant” bid was accepted and will become the club’s first summer signing, according to Football Insider.
According to the publication, Spurs moved to clinch the deal due to Wigan’s financial worries, with the Championship club having recently gone into administration.
Devine, a midfielder, played three times in this season’s FA Youth Cup, including a start against Manchester United’s under-18s.
He has also featured for the Latics’ under-23s, and played twice for England’s under-16 team, and will link up with Tottenham’s under-23 squad ahead of the 2020/21 season.
