Daniel Levy 'confident' over contract agreement with Tottenham defender Toby Alderweireld

Tottenham Hotspur chairman Daniel Levy remains optimistic regarding contract negotiations with influential defender Toby Alderweireld.

The Belgium international is set to become a free agent in 2019 and in October revealed that he was no closer to penning an extension. Tottenham do retain the option to automatically prolong his stay by a further 12 months, although that would necessitate a £25m ($33.3m) release clause becoming active that summer.

The Mail reported last week that Alderweireld, who currently earns £50,000-per-week in north London, was seeking a new deal with wages of approximately £110,000-per-week.

Spurs do not typically allow players to enter the final two years of their contracts, although are said to be reluctant to alter their strict wage structure.

The same publication stated that Tottenham still hoped to make a breakthrough in discussions before next summer, a position that was seemingly backed up by Levy.

Appearing alongside manager Mauricio Pochettino at a fans' forum held at the London Academy of Excellence on Monday night (11 December), the chairman was quoted as saying by the Evening Standard that he was "confident" of reaching an agreement.

The impasse between Spurs and Alderweireld has inevitably seen transfer interest develop in the highly-rated centre-back, with Premier League rivals Chelsea and Manchester City and Serie A outfit Inter Milan among the clubs said to be keeping a close eye on his contract situation.

Criticising the summer sale of Kyle Walker as a "huge mistake", former Tottenham midfielder Jamie Redknapp said recently that his former employers had to change their supposed small-club mentality.

"Toby Alderweireld is one of the best centre-backs in the world - why has he not signed? Go and give him whatever he deserves," he said.

Alderweireld is generally viewed as an indispensable figure in Tottenham's defence, although he has not played for the club since suffering a hamstring injury during the first half of a memorable 3-1 Champions League victory over Real Madrid on 1 November.

The former Southampton loanee was initially slated to return after Christmas, yet Pochettino reportedly told supporters on Monday that he was now not expected back until February 2018 after undergoing another scan to monitor his progress.

Further updates will be expected later this afternoon, when the Argentine sits down with the press to preview Tottenham's forthcoming clash with newly-promoted Brighton & Hove Albion at Wembley Stadium.

Last year's runners-up currently sit sixth in the table and 18 points adrift of undefeated leaders Manchester City. But Spurs did manage to end a run of four league games without a win on Saturday as four second-half goals and a brace from Harry Kane secured an emphatic 5-1 victory over woeful Stoke City at the home of English football.