Alderweireld Palace doubt

Contract rebel Toby Alderweireld is a doubt for our Premier League match at Crystal Palace on Sunday after feeling discomfort in his hamstring in Thursday’s training session according to ESPN

Alderweireld has been back in training since late January after tearing his right hamstring and a tendon against Real Madrid on Nov. 1st and he has played 90 minutes in the FA Cup matches against Newport County and Rochdale.

However he did not complete training on Thursday as a precaution and boss Mauricio Pochettino said at his pre match press conference he would be assessed ahead of the trip to Selhurst Park.

“Toby yesterday could not finish the training session — he suffered a small incident in the same leg,”: Pochettino. “We will assess him today and tomorrow to see if he is available for training and if it’s possible for him to be selected. We hope it’s not a big issue.”

He added: “We need to assess him. Yesterday he could not finish the training session. We cannot decide anything. First of all, he has to be available for training and then we’ll see for the game.”

Pochettino also said that new signing Lucas Moura, who played 70 minutes against Rochdale last weekend on his full Spurs debut, would also need to be assessed but the manager has no other fitness concerns.

The article also adds that a source has told ESPN FC that Alderweireld’s future at Spurs hangs in the balance after contract talks with the club broke down last month.

His current deal worth £50,000 a week expires in 2019, although we can extend it by a year to 2020, triggering a buyout clause allowing him to leave if the club receives a £25 million bid before the final 14 days of the summer 2019 transfer window.

It adds how Alderweireld wants a long-term contract worth closer to £150,000 a week, which would be in line with the top centre-backs in the Premier League, but Spurs are reluctant to break their wage structure for a player who turns 29 next month.

“I am not involved in negotiations,” Pochettino said. “I never talk about rumours, what the media say or what happens around the club. It is not my job and I cannot say nothing about that.”

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