There is little to choose between Saints and Tottenham Hotspur as football clubs at the moment, so it may be a non footballing reason that swings Toby Alderweireld's decision.
Although Spurs fans like to beleive they are right up there with the top club's the reality is that in the past couple of decades or so they have fallen behind in the pecking order and now find themselves scrambling with the likes of Everton, Newcastle and now Saints for a Europa League spot
Perhaps that will change in a few years when they have built their new stadium, but until then they will continue to struggle to hang on to the shirt tails of the big guns.
That being the case what will perhaps swing Toby Alderweireld in Spurs direction will not be football reasons, indeed Spurs face a tough few years if and when they have to spend two years at MK Dons, so what will decide his move will be from off the field.
Some would say that his friendship with Spurs player Jan Vertoghen that will push him towards White Hart lane, but he has made some lasting friendships with Saints players, so that won't be as big a factor as some would think, despite Vertonghen's constant press campaign to attract him to Spurs.
In simple terms it will be the bright lights of London and the ability to pop over to Belgium with a lot more ease than he can from Southampton.
From London City airport Alderweireld can fly direct to Antwerp the area in Belgium his family lives in an hour, from Southampton it is a lot more difficult to do this for geographical reasons.
So for Toby there is little to choose from in footballing terms, both Saints and Spurs are roughly at the same level in footballing terms, both at the moment have similar sized stadiums and attendances, so it could come down to this one little advantage and that is location.