Juventus vs Tottenham: Toby Alderweireld left out of Champions League clash, putting future in doubt

Toby Alerweireld has been left out of the Tottenham Hotspur squad for the Champions League last 16 first leg against Juventus on Tuesday (13 February) after being omitted from the trip to Turin.

The Belgium international has played once since October due to a hamstring injury but, despite being perceived as Spurs' best centre-back, has been overlooked for one of the biggest games of the season.

And The Daily Telegraph report that the omission of the 28-year-old throws his future at Tottenham into fresh doubt, amid talks over a new contract in North London. Alderweireld is contracted to the club until 2019, when a one-year extension will automatically be triggered.

Multiple publications including The Guardian understand that a £25m (€28m) release clause will then also become active, meaning he could be vulnerable to offers from rival clubs if a move is completed at least 14 days before the end of the transfer window.

The same report also claimed that Alderweireld wants a significant upgrade on his £50,000-a-week deal, with the player conscious that, as he prepares to turn 29 next month, this could be last major contract of his professional career. The Evening Standard believes Chelsea are among the clubs monitoring the situation however manager Mauricio Pochettino is confident an agreement will be reached.

Pochettino has delayed Alderweireld's full re-integration into the Tottenham first team since he recovered from a hamstring tear suffered in the Champions League win over Real Madrid three months ago.

He played the full 90 minutes in Tottenham's FA Cup win over Newport County at Wembley and declared himself fit to face Arsenal in the north London derby on Saturday.

But the ex-Southampton and Atletico Madrid defender was omitted from the matchday squad to face the Gunners, with Davinson Sanches and Jan Vertonghen retained for the 1-0 win given to them by Harry Kane's second-half header.

Pochettino's team selection was questioned after the success, but the Argentine boss took exception to the enquiries over Alderweireld's omission.

"Sorry? After the game I need to explain this? You think I need to explain why I picked one or another? Why? Sorry, I don't understand your question," he told reports in his post-match press conference, according to Football.London. "Why I pick 11 players? Because I need to pick 11 players. I don't understand your question," the Tottenham boss stated.

"I picked a player that I believe are the best to play in every game, but, if I explain why I don't play Alderweireld, I need to explain why for Danny Rose, [Vincent] Wanyama, [Fernando] Llorente, Michel Vorm, Harry Winks – I don't understand your question,"

"The reason is that I believe the 11 players that played today were the best to win, we won, if we lose maybe I accept the question, because I was wrong in my selection. But after three points, I think the question....

"I don't take like a criticism, it is your opinion. He played like different players against Newport, and the decision was be out of the squad. But that is, sorry, the club, Daniel Levy pay for [me] to make decision, not to make happy the people."