Danny Murphy has claimed that Spurs could be forced to spend around £100m to replace Toby Alderweireld and Jan Vertonghen if they cannot tie the pair down to new contracts.
Both Belgian defenders are in the final year of their respective contracts, although there is an option for the club to extend the former's contract by a season, and the club could be forced to accept cut-price exits for one of both of their star centre-backs.
Without a doubt, this has got to go down as one of Tottenham’s worst defensive performances for a long time.
So immobile, so indecisive.
If Wolves had been more clinical then Spurs would’ve lost this.
The days of Walker, Alderweireld, Vertonghen and Rose seems a lifetime ago...— Andrew Sleight (@andrewksleight) November 3, 2018
Speaking to bwin, Murphy insisted that Spurs should shell out the money that the pair are looking for in order to keep them around – for financial reasons as much as footballing ones.
“It would make financial sense to give Vertonghen and Alderweireld the contracts they’re looking for," he said. "Daniel Levy won’t make the mistake of letting top-quality players leave for free like Arsenal have done a few times, but it would cost a fortune to replace them.
“Tottenham would be looking at spending £100m on new central defenders when you look at Virgil van Dijk’s impact at Liverpool. That will cost a lot less than an improved contract. I can only think that a potential domino effect is what’s stopping them, where every player would be knocking on the door for more money.”
2 - Juan Foyth is the first player to concede two penalties in the same Premier League game since Phil Jagielka against Manchester City in October 2016. Clumsy.
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) November 3, 2018
Vertonghen is likely to be out until next month with a hamstring injury, an absence which meant that Juan Foyth started Saturday night's late kickoff against Wolves.
Those hoping that he would prove to Mauricio Pochettino that there is life beyond his Belgian titans were disappointed, as Foyth gave away two penalties in a nervy second half.