Kyle Walker-Peters has finally signed for a new club after weeks of speculation linking him with a move back to Tottenham Hotspur.
Southampton’s record-breakingly quick relegation last season coincided with Walker-Peters‘ contract heading for its eventual expiry last month, and he had been an in-demand free agent for three weeks.
Spurs were one of the leading candidates to sign Walker-Peters after his exit from the club in 2020, and Mick Brown told Football Insider that Thomas Frank was pushing Tottenham to complete a deal for him.
Walker-Peters’ versatility and proven Premier League quality were seen as ideal as Tottenham bolster their squad ahead of next season’s Champions League, but the 28-year-old will be heading elsewhere after a move to Spurs collapsed.
West Ham announce Kyle Walker-Peters signing
Walker-Peters had looked set to leave the Premier League behind altogether, only for his proposed move to Besiktas to collapse and put the likes of Everton on high alert as he re-entered the free agent market.
However, the full-back wasn’t without a club for much longer after West Ham United swooped in to agree a deal with Walker-Peters last weekend, and soon confirmed his signing on a two-year contract.
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Walker-Peters will provide competition for the likes of Aaron Wan-Bissaka after the Hammers released both Vladimir Coufal and Aaron Cresswell last month, and Dominic Solanke joined in on the reaction.
Posting on his Instagram story (20 July), Solanke shared Walker-Peters’ announcement post at West Ham, accompanied by two white ‘love heart’ emojis.
Tottenham forced to move on after missing Walker-Peters transfer
Football Insider Verdict
Walker-Peters’ arrival comes hot on the heels of West Ham signing El Hadji Malick Diouf from Slavia Prague, showing a clear intent by Graham Potter to make the most of utilising wing-backs next season.
Tottenham’s only headline arrival of the summer so far has also involved West Ham in the form of their £55million deal for Mohammed Kudus, but it remains to be seen how he’ll fit into Frank’s new setup.