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Tottenham complete Hojbjerg signing as Walker-Peters joints Saints

Tottenham have completed the signing of Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg from Southampton.  Spurs defender ...



Tottenham complete Hojbjerg si...
Soccer

Tottenham complete Hojbjerg signing as Walker-Peters joints Saints

Tottenham have completed the signing of Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg from Southampton. 

Spurs defender Kyle Walker-Peters has made his loan move to the Saints a permanent one as part of the deal.

Danish midfielder Hojbjerg had just entered the final year of his contract at Southampton, and had also attracted interest from Everton.

England U21 right-back Walker-Peters spent last season on loan at St. Mary's, becoming a fixture in Ralph Hassenhuttl's starting XI following football's restart.

"What was very important for me is that I wanted to play in a club where I could see myself for many years," Hojbjerg told Tottenham's website, "and Tottenham was just the one.

"I'm very proud, very happy, excited. I think there is [a] fantastic future ahead for the club.

"I wanted so much to be a part of that. If you want to achieve the big things, I think you need - I like to say - eleven leaders on the pitch.

"To do that, everybody needs to take responsibility in their position, bringing everything they have into the team."

Hojbjerg just turned 25 last week, and made 128 appearances for Southampton during a four-year stay at the English south coast side.

The Dane says his upbringing has informed the player he's become.

"I was raised, and I grew up in a way where it was demanded to be able to take care of yourself. Father was travelling a lot, and mother was at home with three kids, so you had to be able to take care of yourself.

"There was nothing un-normal about it, but it was just the way that the values at home were brought in.

"Discipline was also a big part of it, and honesty, but also joy - joy with what you do, joy with who you are.

"When I left Denmark to Germany when I was 16 it required even more to be able to stand on both legs by yourself.

"And for any young kid it's not easy in the beginning.... I had to adapt pretty quick but I think what I really am proud of is that I never forgot who I was."

Back at Southampton, Walker-Peters has signed a five year deal.

His manager Hassenhuttl said, "It was not easy for Kyle when he arrived here. He needed some time to adapt to our style of play, and then we had this period where we could not be together as a team.

"But you could see from how he performed when we came back that he had worked a lot in this time, both on his physical condition and also on his understanding of our own game.

"It says a lot to me about this player that he was able to do this."

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Jose Mourinho Kyle Walker-Peters Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg Ralph Hasenhuttl Southampton Spurs Tottenham Tottenham Hotspur