Tottenham trigger one-year extension in Toby Alderweireld contract but risk losing him for £25m

The Belgian defender was due to be out of contract at the end of the current season, but while Spurs will no longer lose him on a free transfer, they could still see him leave for around half his true valuation

Tottenham Hotspur have confirmed that the club have activated an automatic one-year extension in Toby Alderweireld's contract, which ties him down to the club until the end of the 2019/20 season.

However, the move opens up the possibility of the central defender leaving before that date as the extension activates a £25m release clause, which was included during initial talks upon his arrival from Atletico Madrid in 2015 after a loan spell with Southampton where he first caught the eye in the Premier League.

The 29-year-old was heavily pursued by Manchester United in the summer as Jose Mourinho looked for the central defender that he was desperate to add to his squad – a pursuit that ultimately ended in failure before the Portuguese was sacked last month.

But the announcement, which was made on Friday morning, will have caught the eye of a number of clubs across Europe given that the 88-cap Belgium international is now available for a cut-price fee of £25m – not even half of the £55m-plus that Spurs were demanding in the summer.

Alderweireld has also attracted attention from French side Paris Saint-Germain of late as the Ligue 1 champions assess ways of strengthening their Champions League campaign.

After enduring an injury-hit campaign last season – before being dropped by manager Mauricio Pochettino after his head looked to be turned by the United interest – Alderweireld has returned to the first-team-fold this season in making 26 appearances for Spurs already. His return to focus and fitness has helped alleviate the absence of Jan Vertonghen, who suffered a hamstring injury early in the season and is currently sidelined with a thigh issue.