Mauricio Pochettino tight-lipped over Toby Alderweireld future

Tottenham Hotspur manager Mauricio Pochettino has remained quiet on how close the club are to agreeing a new contract with defender Toby Alderweireld.

The Belgian joined Spurs in 2015 and has since formed a formidable partnership with compatriot Jan Vertonghen, helping the club to post the best defence in the Premier League both last season and so far this term.

Tottenham have already handed new deals to the likes of Christian Eriksen, Eric Dier, Dele Alli, Harry Kane and Vertonghen since the start of the season, but Pochettino refused to confirm whether Alderweireld will be next after suggesting that reports of a £25.4m buyout clause are false.

"I don't know the details of the players' contracts but in England, I have never heard of a player with a buyout clause. It's a detail I'm not really aware of," he told reporters.

"You need to wait and see what happens. It's a private matter, not something to discuss openly here. As happened with Jan Vertonghen and Harry Kane, we communicate the news, but it is not good to talk about it publicly before that.

"When we signed him from Atletico Madrid in 2015, we found different qualities in him and he brings a lot to the team and the squad. He feels good here and he has become a very important player for the team."

Pochettino also confirmed that Alderweireld is due to return from almost two months out during Wednesday's Champions League clash with CSKA Moscow.