Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg of Southampton reacts during the Premier League match between Southampton FC and Crystal Palace at St Mary's Stadium on December 28, 2019 in Southampton, United Kingdom. (Getty Images)
According to claims from reputed journalist David Ornstein of The Athletic, Tottenham have completed the signing of Southampton midfielder Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg, who is set to undergo a medical at the club next week. The 25-year-old is now set to arrive in North London on a 5-year deal for a fee of around £15million, potentially rising to £19million with add-ons. (h/t The Athletic)
As per the Daily Mail, negotiations between Tottenham and Southampton over a potential deal for Hojbjerg had been ongoing for quite a while but a deal took longer than expected to materialise due to the difference in valuation.
Hojbjerg joined Bayern Munich as a 17-year-old from Danish club Brondby back in the summer of 2012 but he struggled to make a big impression at the Allianz Arena due to stiff competition for places in the midfield.
Lack of playing opportunities paved the way for loan moves to Schalke and Augsburg in the German top-flight before the Danish international joined Southampton on a 5-year deal back in 2016.
After a stop-start career at St.Mary’s, Hojbjerg established himself as a key cog in Southampton’s midfield during the 2018-19 campaign. He served as the designated club captain for a short while last season. The 25-year-old has made 134 appearances for the Saints across all competitions, registering 5 goals and 6 assists in the process.
Tottenham hadn’t been crying out for reinforcements in the middle of the park before a deal for Hojbjerg was confirmed. The likes of Harry Winks, Eric Dier, Oliver Skipp, Moussa Sissoko, Tanguy Ndombele and Giovanni Lo Celso all in the ranks.
With that in mind, however, the Dane’s arrival will definitely add a lot more depth and quality to Mourinho’s midfield cavalry. Despite having so many central midfielders in their squad, Tottenham often struggled to cope with injuries last season and it’s certainly a department where a lot of depth is desirable.
With fixtures set to come thick and fast until Christmas due to the delayed start to the 2020-21 campaign, Tottenham needed to ensure that they had all their bases covered. Hojbjerg could be a valuable squad player for Mourinho.
Considering his status as a proven Premier League player, the £15million fee seems like a massive bargain for Tottenham even in the post-pandemic market. Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg still has his best years ahead of him at 25. This looks like a move that could work out well for Mourinho’s brigade.