Jan Vertonghen has already seen enough at Tottenham to suggest that the club are capable of mounting a Premier League title challenge.
New boy confident Spurs can challenge for top honours
Jan Vertonghen has already seen enough at Tottenham to suggest that the club are capable of mounting a Premier League title challenge.
The Belgium international is among those to have been drafted in by Spurs as they attempt to stake a serious claim for the top-flight crown.
It appeared for long stages of last season as though Harry Redknapp would have his side in contention come the end of the campaign, but a late wobble left them fourth and without a UEFA Champions League spot.
Redknapp has since been replaced in the White Hart Lane hot-seat by Andre Villas-Boas, with a new era in North London about to be ushered in.
Vertonghen is expected to play a leading role for the new-look Spurs, and the highly-rated centre-half believes a summer switch from Ajax has seen him link up with a club capable of competing for the biggest prizes in English football.
Quality
"I am delighted to be here," he told
Spurs TV.
"Over the last years Spurs have become a very big club in England.
"They finished in the top four a few times and for me it was one of the best clubs in the Premier League and that is one of the reasons I wanted to come here.
"There is a lot of quality and I think everybody wants to make a good season.
"Last year in the first six or seven months, they were up there for the title, the championship.
"After that it was not that well, but this year I think we will compete for a few more months longer."
Excited
Vertonghen's much-publicised arrival in England took longer than expected, due to the managerial changes at Spurs and rival interest from Arsenal, but he is delighted to be a Premier League performer.
The 25-year-old added: "I wish the Premier League started tomorrow.
"I have to wait a bit longer but I am looking forward to starting and playing for Spurs.
"I am very excited. It has been my favourite competition for so many years.
"All the Belgian players I play with in the national team are very positive about it and I am looking forward to playing against them too."
