Tottenham Hotspur on Tuesday completed their first summer signing for the upcoming season, inking a deal with Inter Milan veteran and FIFA World Cup finalist Ivan Perisic.
The 33-year-old Croatian winger will join Spurs on a two year deal once his contract with Inter expires in June.
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Announcing his departure from the Italian side, Perisic took to Instagram, writing, “After 254 games, 55 goals, 49 assists, 3 trophies and 18,934 minutes spent on the pitch wearing this glorious jersey; my journey here has come to an end … To the team, the staff, to all the employees but most importantly to the fans: you will always have a special place in my heart.”
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No stranger to Antonio Conte or his tactics, Perisic was a key player for Conte’s Inter when the I Nerazzurri won the Serie A in the 2020-21 season, and their reunion could be the first of several at Spurs.
“It’s a privilege to work with a coach like this … I’m really happy to see him again,” Perisic told Spurs’ in-house media team after the completion of the transfer.
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Spurs’ deal with the Croatian marks the beginning of what is expected to be a hectic summer for Conte’s side: the Italian manager has already stated that he is looking to complete six signings this summer, and reportedly, former Spurs and Inter midfielder Christian Eriksen is among the Conte’s targets.
Conte has also said that Harry Winks, Steven Bergwijn, Giovani Lo Celso, and Tanguy Ndombele are available to leave Spurs as he looks to build a side capable of challenging for the Premier League title.