Former Tottenham Hotspur defender Toby Alderweireld has left Al-Duhail SC to join Royal Antwerp on a permanent move this summer, according to Royal Antwerp official.
Alderweireld departed Tottenham in 2021 to move to Qatar, where he made 29 appearances for Al-Duhail across all competitions (Transfermarkt). He scored once and assisted twice while also helping his side win the Emir of Qatar Cup in the process.
The Belgian international did quite well during his short stint in the Middle East and also garnered eight clean sheets during that spell. A return to Europe is certainly warranted as Alderweireld would feel that he still has some years left in his playing career.
The 33-year-old has penned a deal with Bosuil for three seasons (Royal Antwerp official) as he looks to spend the twilight of his career back in his hometown. Despite being the riple old age of 33, he is still a regular in Roberto Martinez’s international plans ahead of this winter’s World Cup.
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Alderweireld had left Spurs to make his switch to the Qatar outfit last summer for a fee thought to be around £13million (Daily Mail). He had spent six long years at N17, where he helped us to our best finishes in the Premier League and the Champions League under Mauricio Pochettino’s tenure.
Alderweireld had 235 matches under his belt throughout his time playing for the north London club, with nine goals and five assists (Transfermarkt) to add to his tally during his spell with us.
Alderweireld’s partnership with Jan Vertonghen was one of the best in the business in England during that time as it gave us a foundation for our golden generation. While his spell with us could not result in any materialistic success, the fans still regard him highly to this day for what he has done for the club.
The supporters would be delighted to see Alderweireld succeed back in Belgium and perhaps even make a case for himself by convincing Roberto Martinez to choose him in the World Cup squad.
