Tottenham announced their first transfer of the summer window on Tuesday, with Ivan Perisic signing a two-year deal with the club. football.london understands the deal is worth around £5.1million a year, which works out as around £98,000 a week.
The announcement of the 33-year-old as a Spurs player has been one fans have been waiting for, after Perisic stayed at The Lodge (Hotspur Way accomodation) on Saturday night, ahead of his medical on Monday. Further good news comes for Antonio Conte as football.london understands the Croatian should be fit or very close to being fit, for the first day of pre-season training, despite suffering with a gastrocnemius problem at the end of Inter Milan's last season.
READ MORE: Breaking: Ivan Perisic seals Tottenham transfer as Antonio Conte's summer revolution begins
Perisic's signing is the first for Tottenham this summer and Conte is hoping for at least six new arrivals, in what is expected to be a busy few months in N17. The winger's move to the capital will see him reunited with his former Inter boss and the 52-year-old will be hoping the Croat can bring a lot of positive qualities to his Spurs side.
Not only does Perisic have a wealth of footballing experience, he has a winning mentality and will hopefully bring a leadership aspect when playing in the Premier League. There is also hope that the 33-year-old can help Ryan Sessegnon develop and Perisic has spoken about his excitement for the next couple of years, in his first words for his new club.
"I'm really excited to start with the Spurs family. It's going to be my home for the next two years," Perisic admitted to Spurs TV.
"When I got in contact with the coach and the Sporting Director [Fabio Paratici], I told them that I really wanted to come here in the Premier League, since 2009 when I started to play professional football in Belgium. This is the moment and I can't wait."
The 33-year-old then spoke on his reunion with Conte and what he thinks about the Italian, as a coach. "It's a privelege to work with a coach like this," he admitted.
"We did well [at Inter], we won the league after ten or 11 years. It was really a perfect year. Yeah, I am really happy to see him again.
"He's living football, every minute, every hour, every day, even when he's sleeping, he's thinking about football. I like his character and I know we're going to do a great job here," the Crotian added.
Perisic continued and admitted that he watched Tottenham's final few games, which included the 3-0 victory in the North London Derby and the winger also explained what it means to be back in the Champions League. "Yeah I was waiting last two or three games, I was watching," the former Inter Milan player said.
"After the victory against Arsenal, it was obvious that Tottenham will go in the Champions League. It was also good for me because I want to play the best game, I want to do great job in the Champions League, like in the Premier League."
Talk then turned to Perisic's role in the Spurs side and he spoke about his versatility in Conte's system. "I'm going to bring a lot of hard work because I like to work a lot, I like to work for the team and because only like this you can win something important," he explained.
"I can play several positions in the system what Tottenham is playing now and I will bring also a lot of experience because I used to play for a lot of great clubs. Like I said, I can't wait to start to play and to train and to give my best."
Perisic will have already heard some talk about Spurs as his international teammates Luka Modric, Vedran Corluka, Niko Kranjcar and Stipe Pletikosa, have all previously spent time in north London. "From Tottenham, I follow because a lot of Croatian players they played here," the 33-year-old explained.
"I have a lot of contact with them. Now I'm going to ask them a few more questions about the club, about the city and I'm sure that they're going to help me."
Perisic has also already experienced playing against the Lilywhites and this includes a game at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, which he also commented on. "2018 we played a group with Inter and it was a tough team, a lot of good players, a good coach," he said.
"One year later I played against Tottenham with Bayern, on the amazing stadium, new stadium and it was something special.
"It was always my dream to play in all the best five leagues in the world and Premier League was the missing puzzle and now I'm here and I want to do my best, like I did before in all other leagues. My hope is it's going to be perfect," the Croat added.
"I can't wait to start. Come on you Spurs."
