It had been looming over the past few days, but four hours before the face-off it became official: Premier League promotion contenders Leicester City have signed Oliver Skipp from Tottenham Hotspur.
Timing is everything. On Monday evening, Leicester City will play their opening game after their Premier League return against Tottenham Hotspur. The Foxes officially released Oliver Skipp from the same club four hours before kick-off. The 23-year-old home-grown North Londoner is moving to their direct rivals for a transfer fee of a rumored 24 million euros. The sum could apparently rise to up to 30 million euros due to bonuses.
Skipp signed a five-year contract with the Premier League surprise champions of the 2015/16 season until June 30, 2029. The defensive midfielder is a product of the Spurs youth system and has only played one season for another club in his career. He was loaned out to Norwich City in the 2020/21 season, making 47 competitive appearances for the Canaries (one goal, two assists).
Skipp has made a total of 106 competitive appearances (one goal, two assists) for the Spurs professionals. Last season, the former England U-21 international made a total of 21 Premier League appearances, starting only five times. Skipp is hoping for a much more central role in Leicester’s plans.
Cooper as an additional argument for a switch
“I feel like it’s a good group of guys and a good group of players,” Skipp explained as part of his signing, “I’m confident we have a squad that’s capable of competing in any game. I’m really excited to see what we can achieve as a group.”
The “good relationship” with coach Steve Cooper, with whom he had already worked in the past, was an additional argument for a move. Skipp will watch the direct duel between his training club and his “new love” from the stands. According to Leicester, he will then make his debut next Saturday at Fulham FC.