Tottenham have activated an option to extend Jan Vertonghen’s contract until 2020.

The Belgium defender, who is currently sidelined until January with a thigh injury, was due to see his deal expire in the summer.

But Spurs have moved to tie him down for an additional year and are believed to be keen to agree a new long-term deal.

A club statement read: “The club can confirm that we have activated the option to extend Jan Vertonghen’s contract until 2020.”

The 31-year-old joined Spurs from Ajax in 2012 and has been one of the key players in their rise to becoming an established top-four club.

He joins a long list of their current stars who have their immediate future tied up, with Harry Kane, Son Heung-min, Dele Alli and Davinson Sanchez among those who have agreed new terms in the past six months.

Vertonghen has only appeared 14 times this season due to injury problems after his involvement in the summer World Cup with Belgium, for whom he is the record appearance holder.

He missed nine games with a hamstring injury over the autumn and then was sent off in his first Premier League game back against Arsenal before sustaining a thigh problem in the draw with Barcelona last week which will keep him out until early 2019.