Tottenham confirm Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg exit to Marseille

Tottenham Hotspur have confirmed they have reached an agreement with Marseille for the transfer of midfielder Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg on an initial loan deal before it becomes permanent next year.

Spurs brought in the Denmark international from Southampton under former manager Jose Mourinho in 2020 and he quickly became a pivotal member of their starting XI, also featuring frequently under successor Antonio Conte.

However, he was demoted to a fringe role upon Ange Postecoglou's arrival last year, making only eight starts in the 2023/24 Premier League with the likes of Yves Bissouma, Pape Matar Sarr and Rodrigo Bentancur all preferred ahead of him.

A statement from Spurs reads: "We have reached agreement with Olympique de Marseille for the loan of Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg for the 2024/25 season, with an obligation that would see the move become permanent.

"We wish Pierre all the best for the future."

Hojbjerg made 184 appearances in all competitions during his four seasons in north London, scoring ten goals. One of those strikes coincidentally came against his new club, securing Spurs' place in the knockout stages of the 2022/23 Champions League with a 95th-minute winner at the Stade Velodrome.

He featured at Euro 2024 for Denmark and had not played a part in either of Tottenham's pre-season wins against Hearts and Queens Park Rangers as a result.

New arrivals Archie Gray and Lucas Bergvall, who are both only 18 years of age, are expected to play fringe roles in the upcoming campaign, with Bissouma, Sarr and Bentancur all likely to feature prominently alongside James Maddison further forward.

Hojbjerg is the latest summer signing for Roberto De Zerbi at Marseille after the Ligue 1 club confirmed a deal for Manchester United forward Mason Greenwood. Previous top scorer Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang recently departed for Saudi Pro League club Al Qadsiah.

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