Tottenham Player of the Year: 5 candidates ranked

Modified Apr 10, 2019 10:21 GMT

Tottenham have had another impressive season under Mauricio Pochettino

#3 Jan Vertonghen

Jan Vertonghen often acts as Tottenham's leader on the pitch

Hugo Lloris might be Tottenham’s captain, but while the French goalkeeper is definitely a key man in Pochettino’s squad, most Spurs fans would probably argue that the team’s real leader on the pitch is actually veteran defender Jan Vertonghen. The Belgian has been at the club now for 7 seasons, but the form he’s shown in 2018/19 may well be the best of his career.

Vertonghen started the season with a bang by scoring on the opening day against Newcastle, and since then he’s been brilliant, particularly in Champions League action, where he was outstanding against Inter Milan and in the first leg of the round of 16 tie against Borussia Dortmund, which saw him score and also make an assist in a Man of the Match-level performance.

Despite primarily being a central defender, Vertonghen has even filled in at left-back on numerous occasions this year when Spurs have lost Danny Rose and Ben Davies – and did such a good job there that there were suggestions he could actually be the club’s best player in the position. Essentially, Vertonghen is the glue that holds Spurs together, and he’s a sure-fire contender for their Player of the Year.

About the author

Scott is a veteran MMA writer with over two decades of experience, including his ongoing tenure in Sportskeeda, which began seven years ago. He has written over 3000 pieces for the organization, while also covering football. Before joining Sportskeeda, Scott wrote articles for websites like The Oratory and Inside Pulse MMA.

Scott has a degree in history, which drives his research skills and helps him compile accurate information. His long stint in the field helps Scott provide a clear take on important topics, such as the criticism of promotions regarding fighter pay. While he feels fighters deserve a bigger revenue share, he doesn’t want MMA to suffer with purse-split issues.

Scott’s work has been previously reshared by the former UFC middleweight champion Chris Weidman. He uses credible sources, such as the UFC’s official website, during the writing process.

His dedication to MMA writing won him the Feature Writer of the Month award for Sportskeeda in November 2021.

Outside of work, Scott likes to go to the gym, walk his dog, and travel.

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Edited by Atharva Papnoi