Victor Wanyama signs for Tottenham: Southampton midfielder becomes Mauricio Pochettino's first signing of the summer

New recruit: Victor Wanyama
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Sam Long23 June 2016

Tottenham have confirmed the signing of Southampton midfielder Victor Wanyama.

The 24-year-old has penned a five-year deal at White Hart Lane to become Mauricio Pochettino's first signing of the summer.

Wanyama joined the Saints from Celtic for a Scottish transfer record fee of £12.5m in 2013 and has developed into one of the Premier League's best holding midfielders.

"I am indeed elated at passing my medicals at Tottenham. It is a new dawn in my career and I believe I will give my best for my new team," Wanyama told African football website Soka25east before the deal was completed.

"I want to thank Southampton management and fans for the exceptional time we had together. I will always have a fond place for them in my heart."

The transfer will re-unite Wanyama, who turns 25 on Saturday, with his former manager at Southampton Pochettino.

The Kenya international worked alongside Pochettino on the South Coast and is excited to start a new chapter of his career in north London.

Wanyama is a deep-lying defensive midfielder and will bolster Tottenham's central options ahead of next season, which will see the club compete in the Champions League for only the second time in their history.

Pochettino prefers a 4-2-3-1 formation with one central midfielder who sits and one who is encouraged to push forward. Eric Dier made the holding role his own last season and now faces competition from Wanyama as well as Ryan Mason, Tom Carroll, Nabil Bentaleb and Mousa Dembele for a regular place in the side.

Spurs begin their Premier League campaign away to Everton on August 13 and Pochettino has spoken of his desire to have a settled squad ahead of the start of pres-season.

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