Home   >   Transfer News   >   Paulinho confirms £17 million move to Tottenham Hotspur

Paulinho confirms £17 million move to Tottenham Hotspur

By on July 1, 2013

Brazil midfielder Paulinho has confirmed he will join Tottenham Hotspur for £17 million from Corinthians the summer. the 24-year-old is set to travel to London to complete a medical at White Hart Lane, meaning he will miss the Recopa Sudamericana (the South American equivalent to the Uefa Super Cup) on Wednesday.

Having long been a target of Andreas Villas-Boas, the box-to-box midfielder will move to London after a successful Confederations Cup campaign. Voted third best player of the tournament, Paulinho played a key part in Brazil’s Confed Cup success and historic 3-0 win over Spain on Sunday. Also being instrumental in Corinthians’ Copa Libertadores and Fifa Club World Cup wins in 2012, the playmaker attracted interest from multiple European clubs including Internazionale choosing to move to White Hart Lane.

Paulinho will meet his new team-mates in London after a short holiday, claiming it was a “big decision” to move to England.

“The other interest we got was from Inter Milan but the only offer came from Tottenham,” he said. “The proposal came, we sat down, analysed it and decided. It was a big decision to go to a big club. There comes a certain point when you need new challenges.”

“I will not play in the Recopa because there are contractual requirements of Tottenham which cannot be discussed here,” he said. “It was a decision that we all respect. Of course I had a huge desire to win another title but the transfer has to be completed.”

Scoring 34 goals in his 167 appearances for the club he joined at 19, the 24-year-old made himself a legend at Corinthians, and promised to return their in the future at an emotional press conference at the club. “It’s hard to say anything at a moment like this but I am sure those were three wonderful years in my career, with many titles,” he said. “What I have to say to Corinthians fans, board and staff is ‘see you soon’. I will be back in no time, due to everything they have done for me. My individual titles are all thanks to the club. Corinthians will be in my heart for the rest of my life.”

About Alex Morgan

Alex Morgan, founder of Football Every Day, lives and breaths football from the West Coast of the United States in California. Aside from founding Football Every Day in January of 2013, Alex has also launched his own journalism career and hopes to help others do the same with FBED. He covers the San Jose Earthquakes as a beat reporter for QuakesTalk.com and his work has also been featured in the BBC's Match of the Day Magazine.