English Premiership
Spurs sign Vertonghen
2012-07-12 15:52
London - Tottenham Hotspur confirmed on Thursday they had completed the signing of Jan Vertonghen from Dutch giants Ajax after the centre-half passed his medical.
The 25-year-old, who captained the Amsterdam club, had agreed terms with the London side on Sunday.
Tottenham, in a statement on their Twitter feed, said Thursday: "We are delighted to announce that @Jan-Vertonghen has completed his transfer from Ajax after passing his medical."
Vertonghen will bolster a Spurs central defence weakened by the departures of long-serving former captain Ledley King and Ryan Nelsen.
Tottenham had been following the progress of the Belgium international for several months, with Vertonghen winning last season's Eredivisie player of the season award as Ajax won the league.
Vertonghen, speaking after agreeing terms, said he was glad the deal had gone through despite Tottenham dismissing manager Harry Redknapp and bringing in Portuguese boss Andre Villas-Boas, previously in charge of London rivals Chelsea, instead.
"I am very relieved," Vertonghen told Sky Sports. "It went on for a long time, but I'm glad I'm a Tottenham player right now and I'm looking forward to playing for the club.
"I am 25 years old now and I feel ready to play in the Premier League," he added. "I heard that Harry Redknapp really wanted me to play for Tottenham, but now it's Andre Villas-Boas. To me, that doesn't matter.
"I just want to play for the club and I hope I can please the fans at the club."
Vertonghen is Villas-Boas's second signing as Tottenham manager after Iceland midfielder Gylfi Sigurdsson agreed a move to White Hart Lane.