Police are on the hunt for four armed men who broke into Tottenham football player Jan Vertonghen's home and terrified his young family while the Belgian defender was on Champions League duty with his club.

The four men broke into the footballer's family home last Tuesday while Vertonghen was away in Germany with his club as they crashed out of the Champions League to RB Leipzig.

Vertonghen's wife Sophie De Vries and their two children, a boy and a girl, were inside the home at around 8pm when the quartet broke into the property and demanded valuables and cash.

Footballer Jan Vertonghen's home was raided by armed knife-wielding thugs while the defender was away with his club, leaving his young family 'terrified' on Tuesday night

The football star's home was targeted while he was away in Germany with his team

The men are believed to have wielded knives and machetes at the terrified family during the disturbing incident.

A source close to the Premier League club told The Express: 'Jan's wife was obviously terrified and did as she was told. The group carried out a search and fled with electronic items.

'The police carried out a scene examination. Some officers did door-to-door checks to warn people and ask if anyone had seen anything.'

The family did not suffer any injuries during the incident as police continue investigations into the whereabouts of the perpetrators.

Vertonghen's wife Sophie De Vries and the two children were at home at the time of the attack

Spurs boss Jose Mourinho was seen with an arm around Vertonghen after the game finished

A Met Police spokesperson said: 'Police were called to a residential address in NW3 at 7.49pm on March 10 to a report of a burglary.

'It was reported four men wearing balaclavas, armed with knives, had forced entry to the property and stolen a number of items before leaving. Nobody was injured. There have been no arrests and inquiries continue.'

A spokesperson for Spurs told the same publication: 'We have been supporting Jan and his family through this terribly traumatic time and we encourage anyone who has any information to come forward to help the police with their investigation.'

Vertonghen is one of a handful of footballers who have been targeted by armed thugs

Crystal Palace star Mamadou Sakho lost items worth £500,000 when his home was raided

Vertonghen is not the first Premier League footballer to have his home targeted by armed robbers of late.

Earlier in the season, Crystal Palace defender Mamadou Sakho lost items worth a total of more than £500.000 when his house was raided while he was playing away at Southampton.

Arsenal duo Mesut Ozil and Sead Kolisinac were also targeted while they were out in London by armed robbers, but the pair managed to fight off the threat and keep hold of their possessions.

It is believed that organised gangs develop an understanding of where top flight players live and target their homes while they are playing for their clubs.