Tottenham transfer news: Alderweireld extension, Dembele to China, Maja to sign? and more - 10th January, 2019

Welcome to Sportskeeda’s Tottenham Hotspur transfer round-up – your one-stop shop for all of the Spurs transfer news and rumours during the January window.

With a lot of focus right now on the ongoing stadium saga, Spurs aren’t expected to be that active in the market this month – but there’s still some news to go through, with a number of players linked with the side and one big name departing for pastures new, so here goes.

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Dembele departs for China

One done deal for Tottenham this month was announced on Tuesday, as Belgian midfield stalwart Mousa Dembele has reportedly agreed a move to Chinese Super League side Beijing Guoan for a fee of around £11m.

Dembele has been on the periphery this season following an ankle injury against Wolves in November and has seen his place in the Tottenham starting line-up largely usurped by the form of Harry Winks and Moussa Sissoko. Thus far he’s made just 7 starts in the Premier League this season.

At 31 years old, time was always running out for the Belgian at Tottenham, and the word in the summer was that the club weren’t going to offer him a contract extension. With his current deal expiring at the end of the season it’s a pleasant surprise for Spurs fans that the club have been able to receive a fee for the player, as he now feels surplus to requirements anyway.

Dembele had been at Tottenham since his 2012 move from Fulham and made 243 Premier League appearances for Spurs in the years that followed, scoring 12 goals and delivering 12 assists. His energy in the middle of the park will no doubt be missed by longtime Spurs fans, who will probably wish him good fortune in China.

Alderweireld inks new deal, but could leave in the summer regardless

Toby Alderweireld has inked a one-year extension at Spurs

Last week it was announced that Spurs have triggered an extension clause in the contract of central defender Toby Alderweireld. The Belgian centre-back’s current deal was due to expire in the summer, but the extension now means he’ll be at the club until 2020 – although it contains one major caveat.

Reports have confirmed that the contract extension also contains a £25m release clause that can be triggered by any club during the summer transfer window, which opens after the end of 2018/19. That price sounds awfully cheap for a player usually considered one of the best defenders in the Premier League, and despite Alderweireld turning 30 in March, the likes of Manchester United – who were previously linked with the player – could come sniffing around again in the summer.

However, Tottenham fans could be buoyed by Alderweireld’s own opinion, as he stated this week that “I’m very happy to stay another year. It was [a one-year extension] in my contract and I’m happy Spurs gave me the confidence to stay another year.”

When asked about the rumours of his exit, he said “People can see that every time I play that I give 100 per cent for this club — this is what I keep doing every time I play. I’m only focused on things on the pitch. This is my fourth season and I’m very happy. I’m doing everything to help the team.”

Whether this means he’s willing to stay past the summer transfer window is anyone’s guess but Spurs fans can hold out some hope that he’s not looking to force an exit any time soon.

Some potential signings – Josh Maja to move from Sunderland?

Could Josh Maja be on his way to Spurs from Sunderland?

Mauricio Pochettino has kept pretty tight-lipped about any potential January signings as is his trademark, and most Spurs fans have been led to believe that money is not available due to the ongoing development of the club’s new stadium at White Hart Lane.

That hasn’t stopped TalkSport from linking them with a trio of players, however. The three men in question? Matt Doherty of Wolverhampton Wanderers, Josh Maja of Sunderland, and Joachim Anderson of Sampdoria.

Firstly Anderson; The Sun is claiming that Tottenham have beaten Manchester United to the Dane’s likely signature and are looking at the player as a long-term replacement for Toby Alderweireld. Anderson was named Danish Young Player of the Year in 2015 and at just 22, he’d definitely be a shrewd investment.

Whether Spurs would want to part with the reported £35m for him is another thing, though. Perhaps he’ll be a potential summer signing should a rival club trigger Alderweireld’s exit clause.

Doherty on the other hand probably wouldn’t cost anywhere near as much money, but despite Tottenham’s apparent interest, it’s unlikely that Wolves would want to let him go given he’s been an ever-present this season. In fact, the Irish Independent is reporting that he may ink a new deal at Molineux – suggesting the Spurs interest won’t come to anything.

Young striker Maja is another story entirely. The Sunderland hotshot is just 20 years old, has already scored 15 goals in League One for the Wearside team and has recently turned down a new deal with the club.

That means he could be available in a cut-price deal – music to Tottenham’s ears – and so Pochettino could definitely bring him in as a potential backup/apprentice to Harry Kane, as the likes of Vincent Janssen and Fernando Llorente have both struggled in the role.

Eriksen to Real?

Is Christian Eriksen on the verge of a move to Real Madrid?

It’s no secret that Christian Eriksen’s current deal at Spurs expires in the summer, and considering he’s a player who has delivered hugely thus far in 2018/19 with 6 goals and 8 assists in all competitions, it’s hardly a surprise that some of Europe’s biggest sides have been considering a move for him.

The latest giant to be linked with the Danish playmaker is Real Madrid. It’s being reported that Real are considering a bid for Eriksen this month, with the price ranging anywhere from £100m to a crazy world-record fee of £225m. And usually, when Real Madrid target a player, they tend to get them.

However, Spurs fans might be encouraged by a quote from Eriksen that was reported this week. Eriksen apparently told a Danish media outlet “They [Tottenham] know what I want. [The future is] not something I'm thinking of. I focus on playing football, and there are many battles you have to think about which must be won.”

The Dane is apparently treating the rumoured Madrid interest as just that – rumours. He stated “It is not the first time that there have been rumours, and when the newspapers write something, it is not something we are masters of. If there is nothing concrete, then I just comment on rumours. I think people know what I want, and I know what they [Tottenham] would like. There is a nice dialogue so there is nothing [new] there.”

Whether that means a deal can be reached between Eriksen and Tottenham remains a question mark; it’s likely this saga will go on throughout the month, so we’ll keep you updated.