Gylfi Sigurdsson joins Tottenham from Hoffenheim

Tottenham have beaten Liverpool to the signing of Hoffenheim midfielder Gylfi Sigurdsson, who had a spell on loan at Swansea last season.

The 22-year-old Iceland international is the first recruit for new Spurs boss Andre Villas-Boas in a deal reported to be worth £8m.

Sigurdsson was linked with a move to join former Swansea manager Brendan Rodgers at Liverpool.

He scored seven times in 19 games on loan under Rodgers at Swansea.

Sigurdsson was close to joining Swansea on a permanent basis before Rodgers left for Anfield, and his £6.8m transfer to the Liberty Stadium collapsed.

Michael Laudrup, who succeeded Rodgers at Swansea, conceded defeat last month in his efforts to resurrect a deal.

The move to Tottenham comes as speculation continues over the future of Spurs midfielder Luka Modric, who has been linked with a transfer to Manchester United or Real Madrid.

Sigurdsson originally moved to England in October 2005 when he joined Reading's academy.

He spent loan spells at Shrewsbury and Crewe before securing a regular place in the first team in the 2009-10 season when Rodgers managed the Royals.

Sigurdsson won the player of the year award in his first full season at Reading, before being sold to Hoffenheim for a reported £6.5m fee at the start of the following campaign.

He joined Swansea on loan in January and won the Premier League player of the month award for March.

-BBC