Vertonghen - I'll earn my Spurs

Jan Vertonghen: Spurs defender is facing a battle for a first-team place following his £9.6m move from Ajax

Jan Vertonghen admits his big-money move from Ajax will not guarantee him a place in Tottenham's overcrowded defence.

With Michel Dawson set to be confirmed as club captain following Ledley King's retirement it promises to be tough fight for the remaining centre-back spot.

The £9.6million man will be battling Younes Kaboul, William Gallas and Team GB star Steven Caulker for a place in the starting line-up.

But the giant Belgium defender says he is ready to scrap for his spot on the team sheet.

"It will be difficult for me to break into the team without a doubt," Vertonghen said in the Daily Star. "I knew before I came that there would be a lot of competition.

"But I am not afraid of competition. It's a big club and at every big club there is a lot of competition."

The Beatles

The 25-year-old got off to a good start with the rest of the squad in his four-way battle for a first-team place by drawing inspiration from another fab four.

Vertonghen completed his initiation into the squad by standing up and singing a song in the changing room ahead of their final game of the US tour against New York Red Bulls.

"I did my song and I am happy it's over," he added. "I sang Yellow Submarine by The Beatles. I thought I would take an easy one. I don't know the lyrics of many English songs - but everybody knows that one.

"Once you start off, everybody else joins in. So I took the easy way out."