During the transfer window Manchester United were linked with so many centre backs it was difficult to keep up with them all. Now Toby Alderweireld has claimed he was never desperate to leave Spurs.
Back in the summer, and it's definitely at the point we can say it's pretty much done, Jose Mourinho was desperate to add to his defensive ranks as he tried to sign every centre back that might have been available.
Harry Maguire and Toby Alderweireld seemed to be the main targets but Diego Godin, Yerry Mina and Jerome Boateng were amongst those who were also tracked by Jose Mourinho and, to a lesser extent, Ed Woodward.
In the end the Red Devils were left empty handed when it came to central defenders and the beginning of the season has partially proved why Mourinho really wanted another man at the back with United having already conceded seven in four games.
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Watching Spurs at Old Trafford must have been particularly hard for Mourinho as Alderweireld had a really good game for the visiting side, as Chris Smalling, Phil Jones and Ander Herrera made mistakes at the back for the Red Devils.
Now, speaking to RTBF, the Belgian has revealed that he was never as eager to leave Spurs as some made him out to be, saying:
"Everyone was saying everywhere that I absolutely wanted to leave Tottenham.
"That's not true. This summer, I quickly understood Tottenham wanted to keep me. So, I had to battle to get my place back in the team. To be in the first team again is a victory for me."
Alderweireld has nearly another two years left on his contract but there is a clause that means he'd be available for just £25 million in the summer of 2019, around a third what Spurs wanted last summer.
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That means he would once again become an attractive proposition for United and others and why Mauricio Pochettino is likely to try and get him to sign a new deal before the summer.
Last season the 29 year old only played 14 Premier League games for Pochettino's side as rumours about him wanting to leave continued to increase, a similar tactic the Argentine had used for Kyle Walker a year before and Danny Rose last season.
The Belgian, who helped his country to third in the World Cup in Russia, has already started three games in the league this season, potentially hinting he will sign a new deal.
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