Due to his strong performance, leadership and footballing ability, Toby Alderweireld has become indispensable at Antwerp FC. His contract expires in June 2025, but his high salary, reportedly the highest in the Jupiler Pro League, poses a major financial challenge for the club.
Antwerp strives for financial self-sufficiency and no longer wants to be dependent on the money of chairman Paul Gheysens.
In addition, the planned capital increase was put on hold and Antwerp is under close supervision by the European football association UEFA, which fined the club 2 million euros in July for non-compliance with FFP (Financial Fair Play) regulations.
Alderweireld: captain, leader, crowd favorite and top player
Toby Alderweireld has made himself completely indispensable at Antwerp FC in less than a year and a half. Since his arrival, the 34-year-old defender has not only become captain, but also become the crowd favorite and (defense) leader of the team.
He not only arranges everything at the back, but he also takes care of the structure of the game. “Toby is very important to us. He arranges things on a field,” said Mark van Bommel earlier this season. “He is the absolute leader of the defense,” wrote Patrick Goots Gazette of Antwerp.
Thanks to Alderweireld’s natural leadership and pure quality, the Great Old’s defensive organization is completely fine. Alderweireld constantly guides his colleagues, resulting in far fewer individual mistakes, at the back but also in midfield.
“It is a privilege to be next to him,” said teammate Soumaila Coulibaly. The defender is not only a leader on the pitch, but his experience makes him invaluable to the team. His fellow defenders can learn a lot from his insight and leadership.
Kévin Denkey, the striker of Cercle Brugge, is very impressed with Alderweireld and he noted that the defender plays very smart. “Alderweireld, for example, does not always duel. He plays intelligently.”
Golden Shoe and European Championship 2024 for Alderweireld?
The defensive added value of Toby Alderweireld is therefore enormous at Antwerp FC, but it is especially his great ability to play football that really catches the eye. For example, his long and meticulously measured passes are unseen in the Jupiler Pro League.
Alderweireld is again throwing impressive passes this season, which often cause (in)direct danger to the opponent. Very tough as a central defender. Marc Degryse noted that Alderweireld demands the balls, especially when things get difficult.
“He is, as it were, a better playmaker than Ekkelenkamp.” Alderweireld has the ability to put a ball on a teammate’s tie from 40 meters.
Domenico Tedesco keeps Alderweireld in mind for his selection for the 2024 European Championship in Germany. The national coach will review the situation from March. “I think Toby Alderweireld will kick off at the European Championships,” Filip Joos predicted in the podcast 90 minutes.
Alderweireld is even considered the leading contender to win the Golden Boot today. He was depicted as “Belgium’s Number One” by Antwerp FC fans on a tifo before the Champions League match against FC Porto.
Antwerp without Alderweireld: big problem
Toby Alderweireld is also one of the few players this season who is still consistently playing at champion level at Antwerp FC. “Put Toby out and it’s… tinklelingeling. What if Alderweireld is injured for two months? Then they have a big problem,” said Walter Meeuw The newspapaer.
Next season may be Alderweireld’s last as a footballer, meaning Antwerp FC will have to start thinking about the changing of the guard. Alderweireld, who turns 35 in March, has already announced that Antwerp will be his last professional club.
His contract expires in June 2025, and the club will have to decide by then whether to continue with him or not. “I do not know. I always want to be able to deliver what I have to deliver. You may have already noticed, but I am demanding on myself,” he said in October The last newswhen asked if this is his last contract.
Opposite Gazette of Antwerp Alderweireld stated that he wants to know before the start of his last year of contract whether he will start his last year or not. Although the final decision lies with Alderweireld, it is already clear that a possible contract extension will inevitably be accompanied by a salary reduction.
Alderweireld is a big earner, but Gheysens has to watch his money
Toby Alderweireld enjoys a generous salary at Antwerp FC, reportedly even the highest ever in the Jupiler Pro League.
Although the exact amount is not publicly known, estimates circulating in the media range from a gross annual salary of 5 million euros to 2.5 million euros per year, as reported by The last hour (where gross or net is not specified).
In any case, Alderweireld is one of the absolute top earners at the Bosuil and in the Belgian competition.
Marc ‘Netto’ Overmars always demands a return on investment from his players, for him an investment must always pay off. In the case of Alderweireld, this is not a financial return, but it does have a direct impact on the sporting area.
With his qualities, experience and reputation, he takes the Antwerp defense and the entire team to a higher level. This justifies his high salary, but in the past year Overmars has started to pay more attention to his money.
The Director of Football Affairs believes that the club must become financially self-sufficient and no longer be dependent on Paul Gheysens’ money. The time wrote that Gheysens’ investments have flirted with 200 million euros since 2015, and that he makes up tens of million euros in losses from his own pocket every year.
A few months ago, a capital increase worth up to 47.5 million euros was on the agenda, but this planned investment was placed on hold.
In addition, Antwerp is under close supervision by the European football association UEFA, which fined the club 2 million euros in July for failure to comply with FFP (Financial Fair Play) regulations.
The Great Old has concluded a settlement agreement with UEFA with the aim of fully complying with the FFP rules by 2026.
These financial aspects highlight the challenges and the need for Antwerp to implement a sustainable financial policy, even with star players such as Alderweireld in its ranks.
2023-11-25 09:10:00
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