Football
ESPN staff 10y

Jan Vertonghen to stay at Spurs

Jan Vertonghen has given Tottenham Hotspur a boost by insisting that he wants to stay and has been offered a new five-year deal -- although admits he was flattered to be linked with Barcelona.

Vertonghen, 27, impressed during the World Cup with Belgium and has been attracting the attention of Barcelona and Manchester United, who are both looking for a new centre-back this summer.

However, the defender seems ready to follow Hugo Lloris' lead and sign a new deal with the London club.

"It goes without saying that I would like to stay at Tottenham Hotspur," he is quoted as telling Belgian station Radio 1. "I still had a contract for four years. They offered me new contract of five years, I see as great sign of confidence."

Asked about the Barcelona links on talk show Vive le Velo, Vertonghen added: "There will always be rumours, but I'm going back to Tottenham. The interest of a great club like Barcelona is certainly flattering. That is confirmation that I am doing a good job."

He added: "They say that where's there's smoke there's fire, but there's certainly no fire at the moment."

Vertonghen arrived from Ajax in the summer of 2012 and was named in the PFA Premier League Team of the Year that season.

However, he has yet to return to preseason training and admitted that he will be careful before committing himself to full matches as he has still to recover from injury.

"I walked in the World Cup match against Argentina on an ankle injury," he said. "I want to be careful, because season like previous one where I jogged from one injury to another I absolutely want to avoid."

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