Tottenham Sells Defender Without a Single Club Appearance for £20 Million

Middlesbrough has announced the signing of defender Ashley Phillips from Tottenham. The deal could reportedly reach a staggering £20 million for a player who, in four seasons with the "Spurs," never made a single first-team appearance. Initially, Boro will pay just £7 million, with the remaining sum structured as performance-related add-ons.

The Championship club fended off competition from several teams interested in Ashley Phillips, who spent the last two seasons on loan at Stoke and caught the eye of numerous second-tier clubs. He has penned a five-year contract with his new team.