Toby Alderweireld signs for Qatari club Al-Duhail from Tottenham Hotspur

Toby Alderweireld originally joined Tottenham from Atletico Madrid.

Tottenham Hotspur defender Toby Alderweireld has completed his transfer to the Qatari team Al-Duhail SC.

A former Atletico Madrid defender, the 32-year-old has left north London after six years. He originally joined Tottenham in the summer of 2015. During his time with Tottenham, he made 236 appearances across all competitions and played a key role in the team’s run to the Champions League final two years ago. He formed a strong partnership with compatriot Jan Vertonghen.

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The Belgian international joins long-serving player Erik Lamela in leaving the Premier League club as they have agreed to a swap-plus-cash deal with Sevilla in which Bryan Gil has gone the other way. This news follows Heung-Min Son’s signing of a new four-year contract and Atalanta goalkeeper Pierluigi Gollini’s loan signing from the Italian club in the past few days. Alderweireld’s contract runs until 2023, but Fabio Paratici and Nuno Espirito Santo have already begun reshaping the squad.

A Spurs statement said: “We have reached an agreement with Al-Duhail SC in Qatar for the transfer of Toby Alderweireld. We wish Toby all the best for the future.”

The Belgian centre-back had an approach rejected earlier this summer by Royal Antwerp, which would have seen him return to his hometown, where he played before joining Ajax’s youth program. The Al-Duhail roster already has an existing Belgian player in Edmilson Junior, formerly of Standard Liege. Former Nottingham Forest manager Sabri Lamouchi manages the club.