Destiny Udogie has said it's a "dream come true" to join Tottenham Hotspur as Antonio Conte welcomes the seventh signing of the summer to north London. The 19-year-old defender was heavily linked with a move to the Premier League and has now penned a five-year deal with the Lilywhites.
football.london reported earlier this month that Tottenham were confident in signing the Italian. And, on Monday, it was understood that a deal would cost around £15million, with a potential extra £3million in add-ons.
Udogie was at Hotspur Way on Monday to undergo a medical and pen the final touches of a deal before heading back to Udinese for training on Tuesday. He has since returned to British soil for the official unveiling before getting his feet back under the table again in Italy.
READ NEXT: Destiny Udogie explains why he is perfect for Antonio Conte and Tottenham ahead of £22m transfer
And, Udogie is excited to get the ball rolling. Speaking to the media team at Spurs, the youngster explained what it means to have joined Conte's side, how his family played a role in a move and what it meant to breakthrough at Hellas Verona.
"It is a big honour for me to be here in this big team, big club with a big history," he said. "I always knew football was inside me. It was always my dream since a child. I started when I was four-years-old. I lived in Verona - 20 minutes from the centre.
"My family is there with me. My family is everything because I ask them a lot of questions, they help me a lot, they're always with me. All of them they are very close to me and important to me. My father, he always pushed me a lot to be focused and serious on the game and I think this helped me a lot. When I see my friends play, going out, I prefer to stay home and relax for the training.
"Hellas Verona was like the big dream. I grew up in Verona so it was the dream of every child in Verona. I was 10-years-old, I did like two weeks of trials and when I and when I entered I said: 'okay, this is the time for me to settle down and focus.'"
Udogie then spoke on what it meant to take the next step and play for Udinese where he scored five goals from wing-back. He said: "It's a pleasure, it's a dream to play as professional in Serie A. Tough league.
"I like to close the action in the second post so I try to enter in the opposite side as much as I can. I can attack and I can defend. I like to show my quality to attack one versus one, to go against my opponent, dribble."
To conclude his first interview as a Spurs player, Udogie spoke on the personnel he already knows - from the Serie A - at the club, what it means to play under Conte and returning to Udinese on loan. He said: "I think it will be helpful because they played in Serie A as well so it's going to be more easy for me to enter to the group."
"It is an honour for me to play under a big coach like Antonio Conte. I think he knows the football very well and I'm going to grow a lot with him. I think the Premier League is the biggest league in the world. The most difficult and I like challenges, difficult challenges so I'm excited to start and, for me also playing for Tottenham as well - a big team - I think it's a big dream come true.
"I want to grow as much as I can, to grow up, to understand the game a little bit more and play the best season I can in Serie A.'"
READ MORE:
Antonio Conte makes exciting Pape Matar Sarr claim after Tottenham's draw against Chelsea
Ryan Sessegnon and the reason behind Destiny Udogie arrival with Tottenham confident of transfer
Full Tottenham Premier League fixture list for 2022/23
What Destiny Udogie's Tottenham move could mean for Ryan Sessegnon and Ivan Perisic?
Tottenham's summer transfer business assessment as Antonio Conte continues to strengthen
