Ajax defender Toby Alderweireld is keen to move to the Premier League

Toby Alderweireld: Linked with a move to the Premier League

The 24-year-old has eyes only for the Premier League or Germany's Bundesliga, having also been linked with lucrative moves to Russia or Portugal.

He told De Telegraaf: "That is not my preference. England and Germany are the best leagues where I think I can take the next step.

"I have to go somewhere where I can play football a bit and where my style of play suits.

"On the other hand, I do not want to play for a team at the bottom of their league. I want to leave Ajax for a nice club, otherwise I'll just stay in Amsterdam."

Liverpool have been most often linked with the Belgian and have a gap to fill at the heart of their defence following the retirement of the long-serving Jamie Carragher.

Alderweireld is one of his country's massed ranks of cultured, ball-playing central defenders and can also operate in a holding midfield role.

As such, both he and his potential English suitors would be encouraged by the impressive transitions made by his compatriots Jan Vertonghen at Spurs, Manchester City captain Vincent Kompany and Arsenal's Thomas Vermaelen.