Tottenham complete Ash Phillips signing from Blackburn

Tottenham have completed the signing of England youth international Ash Phillips from Blackburn.

Phillips, 18, made eight appearances for Rovers in the Sky Bet Championship last season and has been allowed to leave for Spurs after his £2million release clause became active this weekend.

The centre-back had been close to joining Tottenham last month before negotiations between the clubs stalled, but he has now signed a five-year contract with the Premier League club.

Ex-Blackburn boss Tony Mowbray highlighted the excitement around Phillips back in the 2021-22 season when he described him as “a phenomenal young boy” before he told Lancashire Live: “If you were to create a defender in the mould of how you would want one, this kid has got every attribute.”

Phillips earned his full debut in a Carabao Cup first-round tie against Hartlepool last August and also started Rovers’ 4-1 defeat to Premier League side Nottingham Forest in December.

The teenager had signed his first professional contract with Blackburn by this point and played 14 times in all competitions last season under Jon Dahl Tomasson, winning Championship apprentice of the year.

A regular in England age-group levels since he switched allegiances from Wales in 2021, under-19 international Phillips will continue his development at Tottenham, but the club are still working on plans to further recruit in the centre-back area.

Spurs, who conceded 63 goals in the Premier League last season, are edging closer to the signing of Wolfsburg centre-back Micky van de Ven but have cooled their interest in Bayer Leverkusen’s Edmond Tapsoba. Tosin Adarabioyo of Fulham and former loanee Clement Lenglet remain targets.