Tottenham have swooped to sign Real Madrid duo Gareth Bale and Sergio Reguilon in a major boost to Jose Mourinho's hopes of guiding the team back into the top four this season, announcing the arrival of the pair on Saturday evening. Reguilon signs for £27.5million while Bale returns to the club on a season-long loan.
The two transfers progressed quickly this week and have been pushed over the line before Sunday's Premier League trip to Southampton.
However, both players will be unavailable to make their debuts at St Mary's as they missed the 12pm registration deadline on Friday.
Bale returns for his second spell at White Hart Lane seven years after he departed for the Spanish capital.
The Welshman was cast aside by Zinedine Zidane but he has now returned to his former club on a one-year loan and will wear the No 9 shirt.
Spurs will cover a portion, believed to be around 40 per cent, of the winger's £600,000-a-week salary.
Meanwhile, Reguilon has made his move to north London permanent and the 23-year-old has signed a five-year contract.
The left-back was behind Ferland Mendy and Marcelo in the Real Madrid pecking order so had to look elsewhere for first-team opportunities.
Reguilon spent last season on loan to Sevilla and he impressed as they won the Europa League.
Real Madrid have inserted a buy-back clause into he deal, a stipulation which made Manchester United withdraw from negotiations to sign the defender.
Reguilon, the north London club's new No 3, said of his switch to Spurs: "I'm very happy to be here, I want to work with my team-mates and meet the city and only work, only work for football.
"I really like the philosophy of the club and the coach, those were the things that made me want to come here, the desire to grow, the vision of the club.
"I'm eager to grow as a player. Tottenham has world class players and a world class manager [in Jose Mourinho].
"I can't wait to start working with him on my first day.
"I saw the training facilities, they are incredible. Honestly I didn't expect it to be so big, beautiful and pristine and I can't wait to start training there with all my team-mates.
"I think I am now in the hardest league in the world, the most difficult one. I can't wait to start this adventure.
"I talked a lot with Bale, regarding everything, the club, the city, the new stadium, and I just can't wait to start with my team-mates.
"I've only seen the stadium in pictures, it's insane. I can't wait to go and play there but especially for when the fans will be back to watch our games and creating the atmosphere that we need to achieve great things this year.
"With the team we have, we need to aim to be among the first places and to win trophies."
While Bale said: "It's nice to be back. It's such a special club to me, it's where I made my name, what an amazing club, amazing fans. It's incredible to be back.
"Hopefully I can get some match fitness, get underway and really help the team and hopefully win trophies.
"I think it's such a special club, I always thought when I did leave that I'd love to come back. The opportunity now has arisen, it's a good fit, a good time for me, I'm hungry, I'm motivated, I want to do well for the team and I can't wait to get started.
"I think by going to Madrid, winning trophies and going far with the national team, I feel like I have that winning mentality, how to win trophies.
"You don't realise it until you're there, in those situations in finals, knowing how to deal with the situation, the nerves, the pressure - that all goes with experience. Hopefully I can bring that to the dressing room, bring a bit more belief to everybody that we can win a trophy and the target is to do that.
"The target is not just to win one but to be fighting on every front possible and I want to bring that mentality back to Tottenham. I was speaking with the chairman before, we were speaking about the past, what we did to get the club to the next level.
"Since I've left, it's just been building and growing, the stadium is incredible, the training ground has gotten even better since I was here last. It's an exciting time for everybody here, the club continues to progress every year and I want to contribute to that again and try to get us to the next level - winning a trophy.
"To win trophies, that's what we want to do as players in our careers, to do it at Tottenham now would be a dream come true."[/i]
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