Two in for Tottenham

Tottenham have completed the signings of England midfielder Jermaine Jenas from Newcastle and South Korean full-back Lee Young-Pyo from PSV Eindhoven.

Jenas, a member of Sven-Goran Eriksson’s squad for the World Cup qualifiers against Wales and Northern Ireland, finalised his £7m (€14.2m) move from St James’ Park this morning.

Lee, 28, is rated as the best left-back in Holland by Tottenham head coach Martin Jol, who hailed his arrival as “a big thing for the club”.

Spurs announced Jenas’ signing with a brief statement, which read: “We are delighted to announce the signing of England international Jermaine Jenas from Newcastle United.”

The 22-year-old had been tipped for a move away from St James’ Park after admitting to manager Graeme Souness that playing for the Magpies is “like living in a goldfish bowl“.

Souness, who will use the money to help fund the purchase of Michael Owen from Real Madrid, is nevertheless disappointed to see Jenas leaving Tyneside.

“I am sorry he didn’t see his long term future with us,” Souness told Newcastle’s official website, www.nufc.com.

“We didn’t want him to leave but he is a big boy and it was his choice. He’s made his decision and everyone at this club, from the chairman down, wishes him all the best in his career with Tottenham.”

But Jenas will find midfield competition fierce in north London, with Davids and Michael Carrick both in prime form during the early weeks of the season.

New recruits Tom Huddlestone and Teemu Tainio, along with Sean Davis, Pedro Mendes and Michael Brown, are also pushing for a place in the centre of Tottenham’s midfield.

Lee, who had a buy-out clause at PSV of £1.36m (€2m), can also play in the centre of midfield but will be employed primarily as a left-back.

Jol today compared his arrival at White Hart Lane with the recent signing of Dutch international midfielder Edgar Davids.

The Tottenham boss told the club’s official website, www.spurs.co.uk: “He has played at PSV for three years and was in the South Korea side which reached the semi-finals of the World Cup.

“He has played in the Champions League – reaching the semi-finals last season – and is the best left-back in Holland.

“A number of Italian clubs would have liked to have taken him and we are happy to have got him to our club. He is an attacking full-back and is a big star in Korea having achieved so much success in Europe.

“I am very happy he is coming to Spurs and very proud of it. Like Edgar Davids he has made the decision to come to Spurs and it is a big thing for the club.”

Transfer activity is frenetic at Spurs as the midnight deadline looms.

Lee has come in to replace Swedish left-back Erik Edman, who has agreed a three-year contract with French side Rennes.

A statement on the Ligue 1 club’s website read: “Several hours before the end of the official transfer period, Swede Erik Edman has signed a three-year contract with Stade Rennais.”

Edman, who only spent one season at Tottenham having joined from Heerenveen last July, said: “I hope the switch will suit me and make me to a better player in a good league.”

Meanwhile, Tottenham have raised their offer for Livorno striker Cristiano Lucarelli to €5m, which if accepted could pave the way for Robbie Keane to join Everton.

Lucarelli was the leading scorer in Serie A last year with 24 goals and is considering a move to the Premiership.

The 29-year-old said that Livorno president Aldo Spinelli told him Tottenham’s original offer was “a joke” but that bid has now been improved.

Lucarelli said: “Tottenham have increased that offer to €5m to let me go, that is five times what he paid for me to Torino.

“My instinct tells me to tell leave this club immediately but my heart pushes me to stay at Livorno.”

Reports suggest Keane is in talks over a move to Goodison Park after Everton boss David Moyes failed to convince Owen to turn down Newcastle.