In an era where transfers are usually confirmed after months of speculation and countless column inches, Tottenham Hotspur’s signing of Burnley winger Wilson Odobert felt like a throwback to simpler times.
A throwback to the days when fans would be taken aback by a signing they never saw coming, bolt from the blue additions broken by the back cover of the local newspaper or via page 302 on Teletext.
Barely anyone was talking about the prospect of Wilson Odobert leaving Burnley for the Premier League giants.
That was until Tottenham Hotspur announced the 19-year-old’s most unexpected of arrivals on Friday morning.
“We are delighted to announce that we have reached agreement for the permanent transfer of Wilson Odobert from Burnley, subject to formalities,” reads a statement posted on Spurs’ official website.
“The 19-year-old has agreed a deal that will run until 2029.”
Tottenham Hotspur sign Wilson Odobert from Burnley
Tottenham have also confirmed that Odobert will wear the number 28 shirt.
Ange Postecoglou will be hoping that the France Under 21 international does a little better with that number on his back than his compatriot Tanguy Ndombele did.
Ndombele saw his contract terminated this summer, joining Nice on a free transfer five years after they paid a club-record fee of £63 million to bring one of the Premier League’s worst pound-for-pound additions to London from Lyon.
Kyle Walker, Kevin-Prince Boateng and Jermaine Jenas are among those who have also donned 28 in Tottenham colours.
A speedy, tricky and unpredictable attacker, Odobert joined Burnley from Troyes last summer in a deal worth around £9.5 million.
The teenager was one of very few bright spots in a dark season under now-Bayern Munich boss Vincent Kompany – himself a former Spurs target – and kicked off the new campaign with a well-taken finish in Monday’s 4-1 hammering of Luton Town.
Odobert was also part of the France squad beaten by Spain as they missed out on Olympic Gold in Paris.
Vincent Kompany is a big fan of Spurs newbie
“I will almost refrain from what I really think about him. Because, at this moment in time, I don’t think people realise how good he is,” Kompany told the Burnley Express of Odobert, who netted a screamer against Brighton and will compete with Timo Werner, Heung-Min Son and co for a place on the left of Postecoglou’s attack.
“He’s still playing in a team that is playing for survival but the things he’s able to do, whether it’s defending or whether it’s attacking…
“Like I said I will refrain from what I really think because I don’t want to jinx it, I don’t want to create a situation where the expectations become too big for him too soon.
“But we will have fond memories of him in five or six years’ time when we have this conversation again.”
Unfortunately for Burnley, should the Clarets faithful find themselves reminiscing about Odobert in 2030, they will only have that one season at Turf Moor to look back on.
Tottenham kick off their Premier League campaign away at Leicester City on Monday. Scott Parker’s Burnley, meanwhile, host Cardiff on Saturday at 3pm.
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