Jan Vertonghen urges Tottenham Hotspur to tie down Hugo Lloris with a new deal

Jan Vertonghen has begged Tottenham Hotspur to hand Hugo Lloris a new deal, saying the club need to keep their star players if they want to compete in the long term. The Belgian centre-back says there is no better goalkeeper in the world for Mauricio Pochettino's style than the France international.

Pochettino has pursued a policy of contract renewals in recent times, following the Argentine himself committing his own future to the club until 2021.

Key players like Kyle Walker, Danny Rose, Christian Eriksen, Eric Dier and Dele Alli, along with youngsters such as Harry Winks, Tom Carroll and Cameron Carter-Vickers, have all put pen to paper on new contracts in recent weeks as the club plans for the future.

However, other important stars like Lloris, Vertonghen himself or Erik Lamela are yet to follow, despite reports suggesting Tottenham want them to sign new deals.

Lloris, 29, still has a contract at Tottenham until 2019, but his future at the club came under scrutiny in the summer of 2015 when he was linked with a move to Manchester United amid the then expected departure of David De Gea to Real Madrid.

The Frenchman has since expressed his happiness at White Hart Lane, but Vertonghen hopes the club secure his long-term future by handing him a new contract.

"I hope Hugo is the next one to agree a new deal. It's important to keep this team together, especially quality players like him," Vertonghen told Standard Sport. "He is our captain and a very important member of the squad. I don't know what is going on right now [with contract negotiations] but I hope he will be at Tottenham for many years."

Lloris proved his credentials again on Tuesday night (18 October), helping Tottenham secure a 0-0 draw at Bayer Leverkusen with a string of stunning saves.

"I wouldn't swap him for any keeper in world football. The save he made from [Javier] Hernandez was unbelievable. You could say that's what he's there for, but this stop was just different class," Vertonghen stated.

"He also fits our style perfectly, the way we play, the pressing. The way he likes to come out of his goal fits what we want to do attacking-wise. He is up there among the best keepers in the world. He has been showing that for as long as I have been at the club. We joined in the same transfer window [summer of 2012] and he has performed at a high level in every game, every training session."