Yves Bissouma has revealed how much it will mean to him to play in the Champions League after joining Tottenham.
The midfielder’s move to Spurs was officially confirmed on Friday, as he joined from Brighton in a £25million deal. That figure could eventually rise to £30m with add-ons.
It’s Tottenham’s third signing of the summer, following the arrivals of Ivan Perisic and Fraser Forster, as Antonio Conte builds his squad ahead of the club’s return to the Champions League next season.
That return to Europe’s top table played a crucial role in persuading Bissouma to join, with the 25-year-old speaking of his love for the competition in his first interview as a Spurs player.
“From Issia to London, Spurs, Champions League music - imagine,” Bissouma told the club’s official YouTube channel.
“The emotion is too much but I just say thank you to God. It’s my dream to play Champions League, when I was young I was watching it every day.
“I can’t believe I’m going to play in it with Spurs, I’m so happy.
He added: “I’m going to try to help the team. We have a good group and a great coach as well.
“I know he’s going to help me more to be want I want to be. I’m going to give everything to try and win every game and to stay on the top.
“We’re going to work really hard to keep the ambition high.”
Bissouma shone for Brighton in his four years at the club, after arriving from Lille in 2018.
Since then he has regularly been linked with a move to the Premier League’s top clubs, continuing a remarkable journey for a player that just six years ago was playing for Mali side Real Bamako.
“It was really hard because in Africa we don’t have the opportunities like here,” Bissouma said.
“When I was younger, my dad and mum just worked to help us. If you wanted to play football, they didn’t have money to buy shoes so we were just playing on the streets with friends with no shoes.
“When I have memories of this - I’ve come so far.”
