Southampton have signed Kyle Walker-Peters from Tottenham Hotspur, with former Saints captain Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg heading in the opposite direction.
Walker-Peters, 23, has left north London for St Mary’s for a reported fee worth £12m after initially arriving on loan in January.
The full-back started the last two Premier League games of the season, helping Southampton beat Bournemouth and Sheffield United in the process.
He was famously part of the England U20 international squad who won the World Cup in 2017, but fell out of favour with Spurs boss Jose Mourinho after appearing to take a potshot at the Portuguese in an interview at the start of the year.
Walker-Peters, who is reportedly best friends with Dele Alli, made 24 appearances for his boyhood club, scoring one goal and supplying five assists in all competitions (via Transfermarkt).
He has signed a five-year deal with the Saints, having spent the second half of last season on loan at St Mary’s.
The academy graduate featured for Ralph Hasenhuttl’s side in all of their top flight games following the Premier League restart as Southampton surged to an 11th-placed finish.
He told the club’s official website “I’m delighted to have signed here. The last few months on loan have been great for me and a lot of fun too. I’ve really enjoyed my football, the atmosphere here and also the style of play.”
“The club definitely fits the way I like to play, and I hope that people were able to see that during the last month or so of the season.
“I feel like I’ve already developed in the time I’ve been here, and that’s a big part of wanting to stay too. Obviously, it’s a club with a great reputation for improving young players and, personally, I’ve found it really valuable working under the manager, with his ideas on the game and what he expects from you as an individual.
“I think the way we finished the season gives us real optimism about where we’re heading too, and it just feels like a really good place for me to keep developing as a player and make the best out of what I have.”
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The Portuguese now has a problem he urgently needs to address, as his departure has left Spurs short of options. Serge Aurier remains the club’s only designated right-back, but his future remains uncertain, amid interest from AC Milan.
While Walker-Peters has played well since the restart, he never managed to impress in the first team at his boyhood club. Daniel Levy can use the much-needed funds to find a suitable replacement in the summer.
Tottenham fans, do you think Levy has made the right decision letting Walker-Peters leave? Let us know down below!
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