Ajax director of football Marc Overmars has ruled out re-signing Jan Vertonghen this summer, due to the fact the Tottenham star is "no longer a left-back".
Vertonghen began his professional career at Ajax back in 2006 after rising through the club's youth ranks, and went on to help the club win two Eredivisie titles.
His performances at Johan Cruyff ArenA attracted the attention of Spurs, who forked out a reported fee of £12 million ($15m) to lure the centre-back to north London in 2013.
The Belgium international has since featured in over 300 matches for Tottenham, establishing himself as one of the Premier League's top defenders in the process.
Vertonghen was due to become a free agent at the end of the month, and although Spurs have managed to tie him down to fresh terms until the end of the season , his future remains unclear.
The 33-year-old expressed a desire to learn a new language in May, while opening the door to a move to either Spain or Italy.
A potential return to Ajax has also been mooted for Vertonghen, and although Overmars admits that the club have been in contact with the player's representatives, he insists that a final transfer is unlikely to come to fruition.
Overmars told Ajax TV : “I did speak to his [Vertonghen's] agent, but we made other choices. Jan is no longer a left-back either.
"We have confidence in Sven Botman and Lisandro Martínez can also play there."
Vertonghen is currently preparing with the rest of the Tottenham squad for a crucial meeting with West Ham on Tuesday.
Jose Mourinho's men drew 1-1 with Manchester United in their first game back following the three-month break in the season caused by coronavirus, which came as a major blow to their hopes of qualifying for the Champions League.
Spurs are sitting eighth in the top-flight standings at the moment, nine points behind fourth-placed Chelsea, but they could still gain entry to Europe's top competition by finishing fifth if Manchester City's two-season ban is held up.
They will benefit from 10 days off after their clash with the Hammers, with their next outing against Sheffield United at Bramall Lane not scheduled to take place until July 2.