Deadline day round-up: Spurs snatch Fernando Llorente

Swansea sign Renato Sanches on loan from Bayern; Man City miss out on Jonny Evans

Spanish forward Fernando Llorente has signed for Tottenham from Swansea, the north London club have announced. Photo: Nigel French/PA Wire
Spanish forward Fernando Llorente has signed for Tottenham from Swansea, the north London club have announced. Photo: Nigel French/PA Wire

Tottenham ended deadline day with a flourish by completing the signing of striker Fernando Llorente from Swansea.

The 32-year-old Spaniard, who was also a reported target for Chelsea, has sealed a move to north London after agreeing a two-year contract.

Spurs had earlier landed £23million (€25m) Ivorian defender Serge Aurier from Paris St Germain on a five-year deal.

Llorente is Mauricio Pochettino's fifth signing of the summer following Juan Foyth, Davinson Sanchez and Paulo Gazzaniga to the club.

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He is likely to be predominantly used as back-up to England striker Harry Kane.

Llorente told the club website: “I’m very, very happy to join Tottenham, an amazing club.

“I can only say that I have come here to help Tottenham to win titles. I am 32 but I think I can learn a lot from Harry Kane and the other players.”

Aurier’s arrival is not without controversy given the Ivorian’s recent record of misdemeanours.

Last year, the 24-year-old was handed a suspended sentence for assaulting a police officer outside a nightclub in Paris.

Tottenham have completed the signing of Serge Aurier from PSG. Photograph: Franck Fife/AFP
Tottenham have completed the signing of Serge Aurier from PSG. Photograph: Franck Fife/AFP

The conviction made obtaining a work permit this week more complicated and prevented him from entering the United Kingdom in November, when PSG played Arsenal in the Champions League.

Aurier was also suspended by PSG in March last year after he directed homophobic language towards his manager Laurent Blanc during an online question and answer session.

He admitted on Thursday he was looking forward to a “fresh start” in England.

“This is a huge and exciting opportunity at a massive football club and I am determined to prove myself as a professional both on and off the pitch,” Aurier said.

“This is a fresh start for me and I will do everything to make the Spurs fanbase, which is huge and diverse, proud of me.

“The fans are the most important people at any club and I am looking forward to showing them and everyone at Spurs the real Serge Aurier.”

Everton get Vlasic

Everton have completed the signing of Hajduk Split winger Nikola Vlasic.

The 19-year-old Croatia international signed a five-year contract after an £8million (€9m) fee, which could rise to £10m (€11m), was agreed.

Vlasic, who impressed Toffees boss Ronald Koeman during the Europa League qualifier against Everton earlier this month, left Croatia’s Under-21 squad on Thursday in order to complete the move.

“I am very excited about the opportunity to play for this big club,” he said.

“The Premier League is the best league in the world and this is one of the top clubs in England. It is such a big honour for me to be here.

“When I heard that Everton were interested in me, I knew straight away I wanted to come here. Whenever someone called my manager or my father, I told them I only wanted to come to Everton.

“When there is a manager like Ronald Koeman who wants you, there is no need to talk about it much.

“I wanted to come here because of the manager, because of the big players, because of the reputation of the club. It is the opportunity of a lifetime.

“The ambition of the club is to ultimately play in the Champions League and I want to help achieve that goal. I believe in myself and in this team — I think we can do great things together.”

Koeman believes he has secured the services of “one of the big young talents in Europe”.

“He showed that quality when we played Hajduk in the Europa League and he is only 19, so he will develop,” said the Dutchman.

“Nikola is one of those players who can play a big part in Everton’s future and in what we want to achieve as a club.”

City fail to get Evans

After failing to sign Alexis Sanchez from Arsenal, Manchester City’s deadline day became more disappointing by the fact that their other target – West Brom defender Jonny Evans – remained at the Hawthorns.

City failed with two previous bids, the most recent a reported £18million (€19.5m), for the former Manchester United defender but with the Baggies holding out for £30m (€32.5m) – and Evans on international duty with Northern Ireland in San Marino – that deal also fell by the wayside.

It left Guardiola without the reinforcements he wanted, particularly in defence where he was prepared to allow Eliaquim Mangala to leave for Crystal Palace in a £20m (€21.7m) move before the Eagles agreed a deal for long-term target Mamadou Sakho from Liverpool.

There were, however, a number of departures with highly-rated 17-year-old England youth international Jadon Sancho joining Borussia Dortmund in an £8m (€8.6m) deal, plus a substantial sell-on clause.

City accepted a £12million (€13m) offer from Swansea for their former striker Wilfried Bony, Defender Jason Denayer, 22, joined Galatasaray on a season-long loan after previous spells with Celtic and Sunderland and returns to Gala having played for them in the 2015-16 season.

Swansea pull off Sanches coup

Bayern Munich midfielder Renato Sanches has joined Swansea on a season-long loan, the two clubs have announced.

Sanches was part of Portugal’s Euro 2016-winning squad and joined Bayern from Benfica for €35million in May 2016.

But the 20-year-old has found game-time with the Bundesliga champions limited and made only 26 appearances last season.

Bayern Munich midfielder Renato Sanches has joined Swansea City on a season-long loan deal. Photograph:  Alexander Hassenstein/Getty
Bayern Munich midfielder Renato Sanches has joined Swansea City on a season-long loan deal. Photograph: Alexander Hassenstein/Getty

Swansea boss Paul Clement spent time as Carlo Ancelotti's assistant at Bayern last season and used his contacts in Bavaria to pull off the shock move.

Clement has been seeking a creative influence since the departure of Gylfi Sigurdsson to Everton for a club-record £45m fee two weeks ago.

Sanches was named the best young player at Euro 2016 and joined Bayern after being linked with Manchester United among others.

Chelsea, Juventus, Liverpool and Monaco were also linked with Sanches this summer amid speculation over his future.

But Bayern refused to sanction a permanent transfer and were only interested in allowing him to go out on loan.

“We wanted Renato Sanches to go to a club where he could play at a high level,” Bayern chairman Karl-Heinz Rummenigge told German sport magazine Kicker.

“Renato has to play continuously for a year, which is not guaranteed at the moment in the squad.”

Sending Sanches to Swansea also appealed to Bayern as they are not a Champions League rival.

Sanches has completed the necessary paperwork while on international duty with Portugal, and will join the Swansea squad before their next Premier League game against Newcastle on September 10th.

Bony returns to south Wales

Striker Wilfried Bony has completed his return to Swansea from Manchester City two and a half years after leaving to join fellow deadline day arrival Bayern Munich midfielder Renato Sanches.

The Ivory Coast international has signed a two-year deal, with the option of a third, for a fee believed to be £12million (€13m) having left in January 2015 for £28m (€30.4m).

Wilfried Bony has returned to Swansea City. Photograph: Nick Potts/PA
Wilfried Bony has returned to Swansea City. Photograph: Nick Potts/PA

Bony replaces Fernando Llorente, who moved to Tottenham once Swansea had finalised negotiations with City, and became the club’s second signing of the day after the arrival of the exciting Sanches on loan.