Tottenham confirm loan signing and shirt number of Lens centre-back
- Kevin Danso looks to be heading to Tottenham after late swoop
- 26-year-old had been in talks with Wolves but move hijacked in later stages
- The Austrian international set to pen long-term contract in north London
Tottenham Hotspur have hijacked Wolverhampton Wanderers' move for Lens centre-back Kevin Danso, signing the Austrian on a loan deal with obligation to buy in the summer.
The 26-year-old had been in advanced talks over a move to relegation-threatened Wolves, who picked up a vital 2-0 win over Midlands rivals Aston Villa on Saturday night.
Danso was due to undergo a medical with Wolves on Sunday, but Tottenham made a move at the 11th hour to persuade the former Southampton loanee to head to the capital.
In a statement on their official website, Spurs have confirmed that Danso has joined on an initial loan deal, subject to international clearance and work permit, with an obilgation to buy in the summer. He will wear the number four shirt.
The Athletic report that Spurs are agreed a €25m (£20.9m) package with Lens, and it's believed that the personal terms thrashed out with Danso represent a five-and-a-half-year contract.
News of Danso's transfer is a big boost to Tottenham after a couple of major setbacks. Chairman Daniel Levy flew to Germany in midweek to try and conclude a £50m deal for Bayern Munich forward Mathys Tel, only to learn the Frenchman was not interested in moving to north London.
There was also a rejection from AC Milan's Fikayo Tomori after extensive talks - the 27-year-old opting to remain in Italy rather than joining a struggling Spurs side who sit 15th in the Premier League table.
Pressure has been mounting on the shoulders of manager Ange Postecoglou, but there are mitigating circumstances that do explain Spurs' poor form. An extensive injury crisis, which had one point had a dozen first-team players sidelined, has seen key defenders Cristian Romero, Micky van de Ven and Destiny Udogie take on a watching brief, while first-choice goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario hasn't played since November.
Teenager Archie Gray, a midfielder by trade, has been forced to deputise alongside Radu Dragusin at centre-back for a significant period of time, though the Romanian is now also on the treatment table as Spurs anxiously wait to find out the extent of a knee injury he has sustained.
Luckily, Van de Ven is back in action, featuring in the midweek over Elfsborg in the Europa League, and he could now be joined by Danso, who has past experience of playing in the Premier League from a loan spell at Southampton five years ago.
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