The Danish midfielder signs a five-year contract for a fee of around £ 15m plus bonuses. Kyle Walker-Peters is leaving Spurs to join Southampton
Last update: 8/20/20 6:19 p.m.
Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg is Tottenham’s first signing of the summer transfer window
Tottenham has completed the signing of Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg from Southampton.
The Danish midfielder signed a five-year deal after graduating from medical school on Monday and will be Jose Mourinho’s first contract this summer, joining for a fee of around £ 15m plus bonuses.
In a separate deal, full-back Kyle Walker-Peters has gone in the opposite direction and left Spurs to join Southampton.
The 23-year-old has signed a five-year deal with St. Mary’s after signing the second half of last season for the club.
Continue …
Analysis: why Tottenham sign Hojbjerg
Lyall Thomas from Sky Sports:
Jose Mourinho was in the market for what he calls a “positional” midfielder after attempts to adapt Eric Dier to the position were unsuccessful and he was transferred to the center-back.
Mourinho likes to play a single “pivot” in midfield – think back to Claude Makelele at Chelsea – who reliably and consistently protects the four defenders. It’s a key role in his system, and while Moussa Sissoko did it sensibly, they need someone more specialized in that position.
As the statistics show, Hojbjerg is that specialist. Ideal for the role and both young and very experienced in large clubs and on an international level. For £ 15m he was able to present a smart deal to Spurs and Mourinho.
Analysis: The progressive box-to-box destroyer
Adam Smith from Sky Sports:
Overall, 37 percent of Hojbjerg’s passes have been directed upwards this season, which Spurs has found difficult to achieve for some time – especially since another Dane, Christian Eriksen, left the club.
Hojbjerg tried to get 289 passes into the final third – a sum that was only exceeded by 10 other players this season. Those risky passes reduce his accuracy, but Spurs needed a forward move in midfield.
Spurs have usually gone backwards or sideways and struggled to penetrate opposing lines, but Hojbjerg finished 26th in the league that season with 672 forward passes attempted.
The Danish international regained possession of the ball for Southampton 326 times during the election campaign – an epitome of the press style used under Ralph Hasenhuttl.
The graphic below shows that it primarily obliterates dangerous flanking attacks and is the complete box-to-box destroyer that takes down opposition possessions and creates a nuisance across the field.
The 25-year-old has the talent and mentality to drive Spurs forward and at just £ 15m he could prove to be a bargain this summer.
The Danish international is a box-to-box destroyer
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