Tottenham Hotspur manager Mauricio Pochettino has insisted that Toby Alderweireld is "recovering well", amid suggestions that the centre-back is facing more than three months on the sidelines.
The 28-year-old revealed to the Belgian media earlier this week that he has a serious muscle tear, which he feared would sideline him for 14 weeks if it required surgery to rectify.
Pochettino has moved to clarify the comments made by his star defender, however, and says that Spurs have the options to cover for Alderweireld at the back while he continues his injury rehabilitation process.
"He is doing well, I think someone misinterpreted," he told reporters. "That is why I want to clarify the situation. He said if, in the case there was the injury, maybe I am going to spend 14 weeks. But that was not the case.
"He is on time and he is doing well, recovering well. We don't need to be worried because he avoided an injury that would maybe keep him out for a long time.
"Against Watford, we finished with Eric Dier and Jan Vertonghen. Then we have [Juan] Foyth, Ben Davies can play like a centre-back, Serge Aurier can play like a centre back - he has played before there for Paris Saint-Germain. We have plenty of different options to use."
Alderweireld picked up the injury during his side's famous 3-1 win over Real Madrid in the Champions League on November 1.
Daniel Lewis
