Toby Alderweireld: Tottenham sign Atletico Madrid defender

Toby Alderweireld has 47 caps for Belgium

Tottenham have signed Toby Alderweireld for an undisclosed fee from Atletico Madrid on a five-year contract.

The 26-year-old Belgium defender was on loan at Southampton last season and made 26 Premier League appearances.

"Looking forward to this but also looking back at a great Southampton season. Great club and fans," he said.

Saints may take legal action as they believed they had an option to buy the centre-back for £6.8m unless Atletico paid £1.5m to buy back that clause.

Alderweireld added he was "very proud" to be a Tottenham player and hoped "to have a wonderful time with this team".

He has 47 caps for Belgium and joins international team-mates Nacer Chadli, Mousa Dembele and Jan Vertonghen at White Hart Lane.

"It's a big club and it's always been a dream to play at a club like Spurs," he told Tottenham's website.

"Now that dream is coming true so I'm very happy, very proud and I will give my best."

Alderweireld started his career at Ajax and won three Dutch Eredivisie titles in nine seasons at the club.

He moved to Atletico Madrid in September 2013 and, in his only season at the club before moving to Southampton, helped them to the Spanish league title and final of the Champions League, which they lost to rivals Real Madrid.

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