Tottenham defender Toby Alderweireld has taken an indirect swipe at manager Mauricio Pochettino following his impressive displays for Belgium during the World Cup.

Alderweireld helped his country to finish in an impressive third place during the recent finals which were held in Russia.

After returning to action for Spurs in February following a three-month injury layoff, Alderweireld struggled to earn regular game-time under Pochettino. This was amidst reports that he was unsettled at the North London club and wanted out.

During an interview with Belgian outlet Nieuwsblad, Alderweireld took an indirect swipe at Pochettino when he claimed that his snubbing from club games last season was ”unjustified”.

He said: “I was very focused on this tournament. I wanted to prove something again.

“[To] show that the period before the tournament in which I did not play – for whatever reason – that it was unjustified. I wanted to show that I am still the same Toby as in November.”

Alderweireld has been linked with a move away from Spurs this summer with the likes of Manchester United, PSG and Barcelona touted as possible destinations.

United manager Jose Mourinho is aiming to improve his defence this summer which make the Red Devils one of the favorites to capture the signature of Alderweireld.