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This article is part of Football FanCast's Pundit View series, which provides opinion and analysis on recent quotes from journalists, pundits, players and managers...

Danny Mills believes Toby Alderweireld could leave Tottenham Hotspur in the coming days, per Football Insider.

What’s he said?

The Belgium international has a £25m release clause in his contract that expires on Thursday.

If a bid matching that clause is tabled before midnight, however, any club will be free to enter into talks with the defender over a possible transfer.

And Mills believes that there might well be a quick-fire deal in the pipeline.

He said: “Quite possibly [there could be a quick-fire exit]. If he does [leave], it will all be teed up already.

“Everything will be in place, personal terms. It will just be a case of crossing Ts, dotting Is, getting the medical done and it will all be done very, very quickly.

“I’m surprised no one’s come in and triggered it, very, very surprised.”

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Day of reckoning

Alderweireld does have a release clause and it is true that he could well still leave the club even after Thursday; reports suggest his asking price will rise to £40m if his clause is allowed to expire.

But this is the day of reckoning for the Belgian.

A club can still come in and trigger the clause within the next few hours, setting off a chain of events that could result in Spurs losing one of their best defenders for £25m.

Mills, then, has pinpointed what should be a huge fear for most fans of the club, losing Alderweireld for a cut-price fee in a quick deal.

More avid supporters could well be keeping an eye on the clock and counting down the minutes to midnight; they will surely breathe a sigh of relief when the clock chimes.

That is not to say, of course, that he will definitely stay even after the release clause deadline. But if he goes after Thursday, it will at least be on Spurs' terms.