Tottenham have triggered their option to extend defender Jan Vertonghen s contract until at least 2020, the club have confirmed.
The Belgium international s deal was due to expire at the end of this season, but Spurs have moved to tie him down for a further 12 months.
The development comes as no surprise with the 31-year-old last week revealing an announcement was imminent.
Vertonghen said talks over a longer-term agreement were yet to commence, but the temporary extension allows the Premier League side to minimise the risk of losing him on a free transfer as they weigh up their options.
The way I feel now, I ve got at least four to five good years left in the tank, he told the Evening Standard at the time.
There are no talks [with the club], but that s something to discuss. At the moment I feel great at Tottenham.
The Club can confirm that we have activated the option to extend ’s contract until 2020.
— Tottenham Hotspur (@SpursOfficial)
Vertonghen has generally been a regular since arriving at Spurs from Ajax in 2012, although injury problems have restricted him to nine Premier League starts this term.
He has faced increased competition for a starting berth from emerging centre-back Juan Foyth and missed the 1-0 weekend win over Burnley because of a thigh problem, which will keep him out of action until after the turn of the year.
Part of the Belgium squad that reached the World Cup semi-finals in Russia, Vertonghen has made 264 appearances in total for Tottenham.
