Ultimate list of Spurs record signings, transfers & arrivals

Tottenham Hotspur are in the middle of a pivotal change for the club. Having attracted former Celtic manager Ange Postecoglou last summer, Spurs have had to quickly change tact in terms of recruitment.

After building squads and signing players for more defensively-minded managers like Nuno Espírito Santo, José Mourinho, and Antonio Conte, Daniel Levy is now tasked with keeping the Australian manager happy by recruiting players that fit his style of play.

Postecoglou himself said as such in a recent press conference, stating that there will need to be real change in the squad in the next couple of transfer windows, to recruit players who fit his system, and to sell those that don't.

Some of Spurs' most expensive transfers ever have been incredibly successful, and worth their transfer fee, whereas other record signings have well and truly flopped.

Ange Postecoglou and Daniel Levy will hope that they can find the right players for the right price, avoiding the embarrassment of spending big on players who don't play.

With this summer set to be an important, but expensive transfer window for Spurs, we take a look at the highest transfer fees paid by Tottenham in their history.

Here is the definitive list of Spurs' top club-record signings in the club's history:

18. Yves Bissouma

Position: Central Midfield

Nationality: Mali, Cote d'Ivoire

From: Brighton & Hove Albion (England)

Season: 22/23

Transfer Fee: €29.2 million

Defensive midfielder Yves Bissouma moved from Brighton to Tottenham in the summer of 2022 after an impressive couple of seasons.

Considering Bissouma's replacement, Moises Caicedo, was sold by Brighton to Chelsea for over €134 million, Spurs will feel like they secured a bargain.

Whilst Bissouma's start to life at Tottenham didn't go to plan under Conte, seeing minimal minutes and criticism from fans, he's been given a new lease of life under Ange Postecoglou.

If the 27-year-old Ivorian midfielder can continue to impress, he will prove his record transfer value and then sum.

17. Heung-min Son

Position: Left Winger

Nationality: Korea, South

From: Bayer 04 Leverkusen (Germany)

Season: 15/16

Transfer Fee: €30 million

Heung-min Son, the prolific South Korean winger, joined Tottenham from Bayer Leverkusen, becoming a fan favourite with his pace, skill, and goal-scoring ability.

Spurs spent €30 million for a player who, throughout his time at Spurs, has been valued at over €100 million.

Son is probably the most value-for-money player on this list of record signings, given that he has also single-handedly provided Spurs with millions of new fans in South Korea.

16. Erik Lamela

Position: Right Winger

Nationality: Argentina

From: AS Roma (Italy)

Season: 13/14

Transfer Fee: €30 million

Argentine winger, Erik Lamela, arrived at Tottenham from AS Roma, with expectations that he would light up the Premier League with his dribbling skills and creativity.

Lamela joined at a strange time for the club, they had just sold megastar Gareth Bale to Real Madrid, and Lamela was one of three players signed in the same window to replace Bale.

With huge boots to fill, it was somewhat inevitable that Lamela wouldn't hit the heights of Bale in his first season. Then manager Andre Villas-Boas, who is now the FC Porto President, had a hot and cold relationship with Lamela.

When Villas-Boas departed and was replaced by Mauricio Pochettino, Lamela came into his own.

Featuring regularly for Pochettino's Spurs, when he wasn't injured, the Argentine winger started to show why Spurs splashed €30 million for him.

15. Sergio Reguilón

Position: Left-Back

Nationality: Spain

From: Real Madrid (Spain)

Season: 20/21

Transfer Fee: €30 million

Spanish full-back Sergio Reguilón made a big-money move from Real Madrid to Tottenham, adding pace and defensive solidity to Spurs' backline.

Having only made 52 appearances for Tottenham before making a series of unsuccessful and bizarre loan spells at Atletico Madrid, Manchester United and Brentford, it's safe to say that this transfer never really worked out for Spurs or Reguilón.

14. Roberto Soldado

Position: Centre-Forward

Nationality: Spain

From: Valencia CF (Spain)

Season: 13/14

Transfer Fee: €30 million

If you ask Spurs fans to list their biggest flops in terms of signings over the past couple of decades, you will hear a few names.

Near the top of that list though will be Roberto Soldado, a seasoned Spanish striker, who joined Tottenham from Valencia, aiming to lead the line with his goal-scoring prowess and experience.

Soldado, who joined on a then club-record transfer, only scored 7 goals in 52 appearances before being shipped off to Villareal two seasons later for a reported €10 million in 2015.

13. Steven Bergwijn

Position: Left Winger

Nationality: Netherlands, Suriname

From: PSV Eindhoven (Netherlands)

Season: 19/20

Transfer Fee: €30 million

Dutch winger Steven Bergwijn made a big-money move from PSV Eindhoven to Tottenham, aiming to provide width and attacking threat from the left flank for Spurs.

Unfortunately, Bergwijn never lived up to the price tag, with Spurs selling the Dutchman to Ajax after just two seasons.

The only reprieve for Spurs fans is that Ajax paid a reported €31.25 million, recouping the fee paid by Daniel Levy and Spurs.

12. Dejan Kulusevski

Position: Right Winger

Nationality: Sweden, North Macedonia

From: Juventus FC (Italy)

Season: 23/24

Transfer Fee: €30 million

Dejan Kulusevski joined Tottenham from Juventus with an incredible amount of potential.

Fabio Paratici, former Juventus sporting director, knew that Juventus were struggling financially.

He was able to lure winger Dejan Kulusevski, Bentancur, and manager Antonio Conte away from the Italian giants for cut-price deals.

Whilst Kulusevski has blown hot and cold of late, his potential talent is undeniable.

11. Giovani Lo Celso

Position: Attacking Midfield

Nationality: Argentina

From: Real Betis Balompié (Spain)

Season: 20/21

Transfer Fee: €32.00m

Giovani Lo Celso made a significant move from Real Betis to Tottenham, aiming to unlock defences with his vision and passing ability.

Remarkably, Lo Celso has returned to the Spurs squad after being sent away under Antonio Conte's reign as manager.

Ange Postecoglou has admired the Argentinian's energy and determination, but you would expect that his time at Spurs may come to an end this summer despite the record fee paid.

10. Moussa Sissoko

Position: Central Midfield

Nationality: France, Mali

From: Newcastle United (England)

Season: 16/17

Transfer Fee: €35 million

Moussa Sissoko, the powerful midfielder, made a notable move from Newcastle to Tottenham, aiming to add physicality and drive to Spurs' midfield engine room.

He became a pivotal figure in Mauricio Pochettino's side, and was a vital component of the Spurs team that made it into the UEFA Champions League final in Madrid, only to lose out to Liverpool.

9. Micky van de Ven

Position: Centre-Back

Nationality: Netherlands

From: VfL Wolfsburg (Germany)

Season: 23/24

Transfer Fee: €40 million

Micky van de Ven, the promising Dutch defender, joined Tottenham from Wolfsburg with high expectations.

After just one season in the Premier League, the Ange Postecoglou signing is proving to be a steal at €40 million.

His pace alone has been game-changing for Spurs' new aggressive attacking system.

Van de Ven may go on to become a club legend, which would make the €40 million fee seem like a splash in the ocean.

9. Pedro Porro

Position: Right-Back

Nationality: Spain

From: Sporting CP (Portugal)

Season: 23/24

Transfer Fee: €40 million

Pedro Porro, the talented Spanish full-back, made a big-money move from Sporting CP to Tottenham for €40 million.

Porro was initially signed to play as a wing-back in Antonio Conte's 3-4-3 system, but has quickly adapted to playing in a back four in Ange Postecoglou's 4-2-3-1 system.

The Spanish defender has been a threat on the flank all season, and looks determined as ever to justify his €40 million pricetag.

8. Archie Gray

Position: Central Midfielder

Nationality: England

From: Leeds United (England)

Season: 24/25

Transfer Fee: €41.25 million

Archie Gray signed for Tottenham Hotspur for a reported €41.25 million (£40 million), which makes him the most expensive teenager in Spurs' history.

The highly-rated teenager excelled for Leeds United in the EFL Championship under manager Daniel Farke, where he was utilised as a right-back and a central-midfielder, showing his versatility.

If Ange Postecoglou can help Gray to reach his potential, then he is set to become one of the brightest young players in the Premier League.

7. Davinson Sánchez

Position: Centre-Back

Nationality: Colombia

From: Ajax Amsterdam (Netherlands)

Season: 17/18

Transfer Fee: €42 million

Colombian centre-back, Davinson Sánchez, moved from Ajax to Tottenham in 2017.

His time at Spurs has been 6 years to forget, with the defender eventually being booed onto the field as he replaced the injured Clément Lenglet in the 35th minute, and was subsequently booed off the field when he was substituted in the 58th minute when Spurs played Bournemouth in April 2023.

6. James Maddison

Position: Attacking Midfield

Nationality: England

From: Leicester City (England)

Season: 23/24

Transfer Fee: €46.3 million

James Maddison, the creative English midfielder had many suitors when he signed for Spurs from the then relegated Leicester City.

His ability to unlock defences with his vision and passing technique, as well as his determination to progress the ball, made him a perfect fit at the time for Ange Postecoglou's system.

Having suffered some injury setbacks, the jury is still out on Maddison's €46.3 million, although the early signs look positive.

5. Cristian Romero

Position: Centre-Back

Nationality: Argentina

From: Atalanta BC (Italy)

Season: 22/23

Transfer Fee: €52 million

Argentinia's World Cup-winning centre-back, Cristian Romero, joined Tottenham from Atalanta for €52 million. Spurs' defence has benefitted from his aerial prowess, tackling ability and leadership skills, making his transfer fee worth every penny.

4. Brennan Johnson

Position: Right Winger

Nationality: Wales, England

From: Nottingham Forest (England)

Season: 23/24

Transfer Fee: €55 million

Brennan Johnson made a significant move from Nottingham Forest to Tottenham for €55 million, aiming to provide creativity and goals from the right flank for Spurs. Whilst he hasn't set the world alight with his performances thus far in a Spurs shirt, he has bagged 5 goals and 8 assists in what statistically would be considered a great first season.

3. Richarlison

Position: Centre-Forward

Nationality: Brazil

From: Everton FC (England)

Season: 22/23

Transfer Fee: €58 million

The mercurial Brazillian forward, Richarlison, joined Tottenham from Everton for a significant fee of €58 million. With high expectations, Richarlison was signed with the intention of eventually Harry Kane. Richarslidon has admittedly struggled since joining Spurs, like so many of the club's record signings, but has shown some signs of promise this season under Ange Postecoglou.

2. Tanguy Ndombélé

Position: Central Midfield

Nationality: France, DR Congo

From: Olympique Lyon (France)

Season: 19/20

Transfer Fee: €62 million

Tanguy Ndombélé was once a highly-rated midfielder, who at Lyon was considered one of the best deep-lying midfielders in Europe.

However, after making the €62 million move to Tottenham, the club's record signing his career has significantly faltered.

He is still contracted with Tottenham, despite spending 3 years out on loan at Lyon, Napoli, and most recently Galatasaray. His value now sits at a mere €11 million.

For a midfielder in his prime at 27 years old, his fall from grace has been quite astonishing, with past managers questioning the Frenchman's professionalism, and his ability to keep himself fit enough to play at the top of the game.

1. Dominic Solanke

Position: Striker

Nationality: England

From: AFC Bournemouth (England)

Season: 24/25

Transfer Fee: €70 million (£65 million) 

Dominic Solanke is Tottenham's club record signing, moving to Spurs for a reported £65 million (€70 million) from AFC Bournemouth in August 2024.

Solanke, who was a highly-rated Chelsea youth prospect in his early career, before a move to Vitesse on loan in 2015/16 which earned him a move to Liverpool in 2017. After only 21 appearances, Solanke was picked up by Eddie Howe's Bournemouth for what was at the time, in 2019, a club-record £19 million signing.

At the time, Solanke's career at Bournemouth seemed to be over before it had begun, with fans berating his performances during a season which saw Eddie Howe leave the club after their relegation to the EFL Championship.

But after an impressive redemption arc, Solanke has gone on to become one of England's top strikers which earned him a move to Tottenham.

Whatever Tottenham's ambitions are this summer, the club's most expensive signings in history tell a cautionary tale. Many of Spurs' record transfers have not worked out, perhaps due to poor preliminary assessments during the recruitment phase, or maybe due to the club's willingness to overpay for players due to the availability of funds generated from the sales of Gareth Bale and Harry Kane.

The club will have to get it right this summer, and with Ange Postecoglou very clear that he wants to recruit heavily in this coming window, Spurs will have to be diligent and savvy if they are to succeed at pushing Liverpool, Arsenal, and Manchester City for the Premier League title.

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