Tottenham Hotspur have signed AZ Alkmaar striker Vincent Janssen on a four-year contract.
Janssen finished top scorer in the Eredivisie last season with 27 goals in 34 appearances and helped AZ secure a place in the division’s top four.
Press Association Sport understands Tottenham will pay an initial £17 million (Dh82m) for Janssen but the fee could rise to £18.5m depending on the player’s performances.
A statement on Spurs’ official website read: “We are delighted to announce the signing of Vincent Janssen from AZ Alkmaar, subject to international clearance.
“The striker has signed a contract with the club until 2020.”
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Tottenham had been in negotiations with AZ for the best part of six weeks, with Mauricio Pochettino desperate to bring in cover for Harry Kane as his side look to balance a renewed title challenge with the Uefa Champions League.
Janssen was first given permission to speak to Spurs in the first week of June, when the forward visited the club’s training ground and agreed personal terms.
AZ initially indicated they would accept around £12m for the player but interest from Wolfsburg, Paris Saint-Germain and West Ham United persuaded the club to up their asking price.
Other interested parties were told, however, that Janssen had his heart set on White Hart Lane, and the clubs finally agreed a deal on Saturday before the Dutchman underwent a medical on Monday and finalised the move.
During initial talks with Pochettino, it was made clear to Janssen that while Kane will remain the team’s first-choice striker, he will be given ample opportunity to impress, particularly in cup competitions.
There is also the possibility Janssen could start the new campaign if Kane, who endured a disappointing Euro 2016, is eased back in more gradually following an exhausting 12 months.
Janssen has enjoyed a remarkable rise to stardom, joining AZ only last summer after he scored 19 times for Almere City in the Dutch second tier.
Renowned for his high levels of energy and excellent finishing, he then exploded into form this calendar year with 21 goals in 17 league appearances.
He also has five full caps for Netherlands and found the net against England in his country’s 2-1 win at Wembley in March.
Janssen becomes Tottenham's second signing of the summer after the club bought midfielder Victor Wanyama from Southampton last month.
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SUNDERLAND 2002-03
No one has ended a Premier League season quite like Sunderland. They lost each of their final 15 games, taking no points after January. They ended up with 19 in total, sacking managers Peter Reid and Howard Wilkinson and losing 3-1 to Charlton when they scored three own goals in eight minutes.
SUNDERLAND 2005-06
Until Derby came along, Sunderland’s total of 15 points was the Premier League’s record low. They made it until May and their final home game before winning at the Stadium of Light while they lost a joint record 29 of their 38 league games.
HUDDERSFIELD 2018-19
Joined Derby as the only team to be relegated in March. No striker scored until January, while only two players got more assists than goalkeeper Jonas Lossl. The mid-season appointment Jan Siewert was to end his time as Huddersfield manager with a 5.3 per cent win rate.
ASTON VILLA 2015-16
Perhaps the most inexplicably bad season, considering they signed Idrissa Gueye and Adama Traore and still only got 17 points. Villa won their first league game, but none of the next 19. They ended an abominable campaign by taking one point from the last 39 available.
FULHAM 2018-19
Terrible in different ways. Fulham’s total of 26 points is not among the lowest ever but they contrived to get relegated after spending over £100 million (Dh457m) in the transfer market. Much of it went on defenders but they only kept two clean sheets in their first 33 games.
LA LIGA: Sporting Gijon, 13 points in 1997-98.
BUNDESLIGA: Tasmania Berlin, 10 points in 1965-66
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