Moussa Sissoko: I’ve joined Tottenham on five-year contract from Newcastle

Sissoko appeared set to join Everton from Newcastle United as the deadline day clock ticked down, with the Toffees agreeing a £30m fee with the Magpies for the France worldwide and waiting for him to arrive on Merseyside for a medical.

Tottenham completed two more deals on transfer deadline day, signing goalkeeper Pau Lopez on a season-long loan from Espanyol and finally completing the protracted move for forward Georges-Kevin Nkoudou from Marseille.

Sissoko has since said that Spurs and France captain Hugo Lloris played a crucial role in the deal.

Sissoko was thought to be on his way to Everton after they met Newcastle’s £30m asking price.

“That (Sissoko’s preferred destination) I keep to myself (laughs)”.

“I’m very happy, very proud to be here”, he added, ahead of group games against CSKA Moscow, Bayer Leverkusen and Monaco.

“I am in the prime of my career and I want to play for a big team”. I aspire to play for the greatest European clubs and to continue with the French national team.

The nephew of Alan Whittle, who made 74 appearances and scored 21 goals for the club in the late 60s and early 70s, has gone on to impress in pre-season, too, having played as both a full-back and in midfield.

He will now return to France during the worldwide break to be reunited with Didier Deschamps’ squad ahead of his country’s friendly against Italy before taking on Belarus in their first World Cup qualifier.

The arrival of Sissoko could have put the Republic of Ireland midfielder’s place under threat in Ronald Koeman’s side, something Moshiri was not prepared to do.

However an hour later Sissoko’s preferred destination, Tottenham Hotspur swooped in and matched Everton’s bid, sealing the deal for the French global and give McCarthy a lifeline to resurrect his Toffee career. “That’s why I said I want to leave this year”.

“He’s a good friend for me”, Sissoko told the club’s official website. “The fans need to understand my situation, I hope they will and that everything will be OK”.