Moussa Sissoko has revealed that the lure of Champions League football and the idea of playing alongside his France team-mate Hugo Lloris contributed to his desire to join Tottenham Hotspur from Newcastle United on deadline day.
The midfielder, who was desperate to quit the Magpies after they were relegated from the Premier League last season, joined Spurs on a five-year deal last night.
The north London outfit beat off interest from fellow Premier League outfit Everton, who had booked the midfielder in for a medical and thought they had him, to land Sissoko for a fee of £30m.
Spurs will play in this season’s Champions League after finishing the 2015/16 campaign in third spot in the Premier League.
And Sissoko, who was in great form for France in the European Championship in the summer, is eager to play in the main rounds of the Champions League for the first time in his career, having previously played the qualifiers of the continental club competition during his spell at Toulouse.
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“I’m very happy, very proud to be here”, the 27-year-old told Spurs’ official site.
“I am in the prime of my career and I want to play for a big team, I have the chance now with Tottenham so I’m looking forward and I hope we will do well in the Premier League and in the Champions League also.
“I’ve said a lot of times that I want to play in the Champions League so that’s one of the reasons why I came here – to have the possibility and the chance to play this year.
“I will fight every day at the training ground and then in the games and give my best for this team. I hope we will all do well together.”
Sissoko further explained that he is also looking forward to playing with his compatriot Lloris at White Hart Lane.
“He’s a good friend for me”, he continued.
“When we are with the national team we speak a lot, we laugh a lot.
"He’s a great player and when he spoke to me about this club he told me that it’s amazing and everything is here for me to play some good games and to fight with the best teams in England.
“Today I’m happy and he’s happy because we will play together in the Premier League.”
