Kevin Danso transfer: Tottenham sign Lens defender on loan after hijacking Wolves' move for Austria international
Wolves were in talks to sign Lens defender Kevin Danso but the 26-year-old has moved to Tottenham on loan with an obligation to buy; Wolves arranged a medical for the centre-back on Sunday morning, but were told on Saturday the player wanted to move to north London
Sunday 2 February 2025 14:05, UK
Tottenham have confirmed the signing of defender Kevin Danso from Lens.
The 26-year-old has joined Spurs on loan until the end of the season, with the north London club having an obligation to make the move permanent in the summer.
Wolves had been in talks to sign Danso for most of the January transfer window and arranged a medical for the Austria international to take place on Sunday morning.
However, Wolves were told after Saturday's 2-0 victory over Aston Villa that Danso had chosen to move to Spurs, after they began late talks with the player.
"I think Kevin will be a great fit for us," said Spurs boss Ange Postecoglou ahead of his side's Super Sunday match with Brentford. "Obviously we're a bit short at the back and have been for a while. He's experienced, a good one-on-one defender and new players give us energy. We're looking forward to him being part of the group."
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Spurs had been in the market for a new defender in this transfer window after Radu Dragusin picked up an injury in the Europa League victory over Elfsborg. Cristian Romero is also out injured, while Micky van de Ven has only just returned from the treatment table.
Postecoglou's side had held advanced talks with AC Milan over the signing of Fikayo Tomori, but the England international opted to stay with the Serie A club.
That blow for Spurs came after Bayern Munich forward Mathys Tel also turned down a move to the club after Daniel Levy helped agree a £50m fee for the attacker.
Wolves, who already signed defender Emmanuel Agbadou earlier in the transfer window, are now looking for another centre-half - with the January transfer window shutting on Monday night at 11pm.
Ange: Spurs are still an attractive option for players
Tottenham remain an attractive proposition for new players ahead of Monday's transfer deadline, according to under-fire manager Postecoglou.
Spurs were yet to sign an outfield player going into the final days of the transfer window - but have sealed a late move for defender Danso.
"It depends what the players are looking for," Postecoglou said on potential new signings.
"You can look at it two ways, OK the league form is not great but there's some pretty big possibilities to have success here in the last three or four months.
"It's still a big club, it's still a club that can challenge for honours and it's whether the player sees the potential that we see right now, or certainly that I see. If it's too much of a hard sell, it's probably not the right one for us.
"You need a bit of discipline. The one thing I don't want to do is bring somebody in who is just going to be another body.
"I don't think that serves any purpose knowing what we've got coming. That aside, there is definitely a need for us and has been a need. That's why we've been looking for a player or two to help us with what's ahead, but they have to be the right types and fit in with what we're doing.
"I guess that's the tricky bit. There are plenty of players available but are they going to be the right ones? That's the question for us."
Analysis: Danso's perseverance pays off
Sky Sports' Nick Wright
"I knew moving here to Germany would put me out of my comfort zone, but I really wanted to make it and I understood that at a young age." So said a 19-year-old Kevin Danso in conversation with Sky Sports back in 2018.
The defender, born in Austria to Ghanaian parents but brought up in England, was reflecting on his decision to swap the MK Dons academy for that of German club Augsburg aged 15.
It was a step into the unknown. "The first three years were mentally very tough," he added. But Danso felt Germany offered a clearer senior pathway and his boldness paid off. By 19, he was playing regularly in the Bundesliga and the Austrian national team.
Danso would be tested mentally again following an unsuccessful loan spell in the Premier League with Southampton in 2019/20, after which he stepped down to the German second tier with Fortuna Dusseldorf. But, as in his teens, he was then rewarded for stepping out of his comfort zone.
Danso made the move from Germany to France in 2021, where he excelled with Lens, rebuilding his reputation and earning another chance in the Premier League, this time with Spurs. Still only 26, his career so far is a lesson in the importance of perseverance and determination. They are qualities needed at his new club.
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