Everton director suggested last season that £17m was too much for Spurs’ new £25m signing

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Tottenham Hotspur snapped up Steven Bergwijn in January.

Tottenham Hotspur’s big splash of the January transfer window was Steven Bergwijn, landing the winger from PSV Eindhoven in a big-money deal.

Spurs needed a striker but instead went for Bergwijn, whose versatility across the front line will be hugely appealing to Jose Mourinho – and he got off to great start.

Bergwijn scored the opening goal in Tottenham’s 2-0 home win over Manchester City on Sunday, taking a superb touch before swiftly smashing the ball past Ederson.

Bergwijn’s general performance was a little quiet, which isn’t a huge surprise; not only is he having to immediately adapt to a new country and league, but he was also having to make his debut against the team who keep possession like no other.

There was enough to be encouraged about with Bergwijn, who made his move for around £25million (Guardian) – a fee that Marcel Brands may not have been so keen on.

The Everton director of football worked with Bergwijn at PSV Eindhoven, and there were some wondering whether he may look to bring the Dutch international to Goodison Park last season.

As quoted by the Liverpool Echo in December 2018, Brands suggested that €20million (£17million) was too expensive for Everton, seemingly believing he wasn’t worth that.

Brands added that going straight from the Netherlands to the top of the Premier League would be ‘difficult’ for either player, and whilst Lozano joined Napoli, Bergwijn has jumped straight to a Premier League team pushing for the Champions League.

“I think that if Hirving Lozano and Steven Bergwijn go directly to the absolute top in the Premier League, they will have it very difficult,” said Brands. “Of course Lozano and Bergwijn are interesting players, but €30m for Hirving and €20m for Steven, we will not pay that.”

“We have indeed paid a lot of money for Richarlison, but he is 21 years old and has already shown it in the Premier League. He is likely to deliver double (that amount if sold). I do not know yet with Lozano and Bergwijn,” he added.

Bergwijn will now be looking to prove Brands wrong, and become an instant sensation in the Premier League. Spurs won’t feel too negative about the fee, as £25million for a promising young winger with European and Champions League experience is far from egregious in this market.

Bergwijn will take on Brands’ Everton in April, and look to show that he is worth the money – and show that the move from PSV to Spurs isn’t all that difficult.