Tottenham secures Nkoudou from Marseille; Njie goes other way
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Tottenham overcame a complicated negotiation process to complete the signing of winger Georges-Kevin Nkoudou from Marseille on Wednesday, with Clinton Njie going the other way on a season-long loan.
(Courtesy: Tottenham Hotspur)
Nkoudou, who signed a contract with the north London outfit until 2021, cost Spurs a reported £11-million fee.
Marseille's ownership problems put the transfer in doubt, weeks after rumours of the double-swap first emerged. The clubs apparently resolved those issues, with American businessman Frank McCourt agreeing to buy a stake in Marseille earlier this week.
"I'm 40 years old now so I'm not sure to be as quick as I used to be," Nkoudou tweeted, referring to the time it took to seal the deal.
The Guardian's Ed Aarons understands Nkoudou passed a medical with Tottenham more than a month ago. Personal terms have been agreed for a while.
Njie was also waiting to secure a work permit for a return to France, where he played previously with Lyon.
The 23-year-old - who only joined Spurs in the previous summer transfer window - barely featured last season as he dealt with a major knee injury.
He faced stiff competition to crack Mauricio Pochettino's starting XI, although the nature of the loan means Njie could yet have a future at White Hart Lane.
Nkoudou, meanwhile, is Pochettino's third signing of the summer. The Spanish boss indicated there were still deals to be done before the end of the transfer window, and he has kept his promise.
The 21-year-old Frenchman made 22 Ligue 1 starts for Marseille during the 2015-16 campaign, scoring five goals and registering another three assists.