Saturday, 20th April, 2013
Ajax defender Toby Alderweireld has revealed that he was saddened by Jan Vertonghen’s departure last summer, but feels he has stepped up to the plate to help the Amsterdam side replace the Belgian.
Vertonghen, who had been Ajax’s skipper, left the Dutch champions to join English Premier League side Tottenham Hotspur.
Vertonghen has excelled at White Hart Lane and is helping Andre Villas-Boas’ men push to finish in the Premier League top four this season.
And while Ajax have missed Vertonghen, other players have taken their game to the next level, including Alderweireld, with Frank de Boer’s men looking set to retain their Eredivisie title.
"I found it very sad that Jan left", Alderweireld told Het Parool.
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"But I picked myself up quite well", he added.
The centre-back was quick to insist though that he has not replaced Vertonghen as the leader of the pack.
"I’m not the new leader instead of Jan, we have a few players who do that. But I do play my part."
Ajax are currently top of the Eredivisie with 67 points from 31 games, six points ahead of second-placed Vitesse.
However, Vitesse, PSV Eindhoven and Feyenoord, the main title challengers, still have a game in hand and could cut that lead this weekend.
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