Tottenham Hotspur defender Jan Vertonghen has played down reports linking him with a summer move away from White Hart Lane.
The Belgium international, 27, has been the subject of rumoured interest from several clubs across Europe, including Barcelona, Liverpool, Napoli and Roma, in recent times.
Previous reports had suggested that Vertonghen would leave Spurs if Tim Sherwood was retained as manager but Sherwood’s exit has handed the versatile defender a new lifeline.
Vertonghen would welcome a reunion with Ajax boss Frank de Boer, who appears to be the odds-on favourite to take over at White Hart Lane; however, he is not putting all of his eggs in one basket.
“I’ve got a couple more years at Tottenham and I’m happy, and I want to stay there, so it doesn’t matter who the manager will be,” Vertonghen said.
“He [de Boer] is a good manager but there are other good managers as well so, again, the chairman will make a good decision.”
A few good performances at this summer’s World Cup finals in Brazil could go a long way in determining Vertonghen’s long-term future but the Belgian is only concentrating on doing well for his country.
“I don’t think that is one for us because we all play for nice teams already and we just want to do something nice for Belgium, not for ourselves,” added the 27-year-old.
Vertonghen, who scored one goal in 33 appearances in all competitions for Spurs in 2013/14, is under contract at Tottenham until the summer of 2016.
Inter confirm interest in Lamela and Luiz Gustavo
FC Internazionale Milano president Erik Thohir has confirmed the club’s interest in Erik Lamela and Luiz Gustavo ahead of the summer transfer window.
Having already secured the services of Serbian centre-back Nemanja Vidic, Inter are keen to bolster their attacking and midfield options.
Out-of-favour Tottenham record signing Erik Lamela has been linked with a return to Italy after a disastrous debut campaign with the North Londoners and Nerazzurri boss Walter Mazzarri is reportedly keen on the Argentine.
Mazzarri is also interested in Wolfsburg defensive midfielder Luiz Gustavo, who has been named to Brazil’s 23-man squad for the 2014 World Cup.
“Mazzarri likes Lamela and Luiz Gustavo, but everything will depend on the situation of the market,” Thohir told Gazzetta dello Sport.
“In about two weeks we hope to be able announce a new player.
“Mazzarri believes in our plan and we must sit around a table to talk about his renewal.
“I want the coach to work mostly with young players, the [average] age of players must be around 26 and a half years old. Football now is different to 15 years ago.”
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