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Ashley Phillips sealed a switch to Championship from Tottenham last week. Tottenham Hotspur are working on bringing in attacking reinforcements, as Roberto De Zerbi looks to continue his squad rebuild. Spurs have already addressed their defence and midfield, spending millions in the transfer market. The arrivals of Andy Robertson, Jan Paul van Hecke and Marcos Senesi has led to the departures of several defenders. The club bosses have sold Luka Vuskovic, Djed Spence and Cristian Romero, whilst loaning out Radu Dragusin to Fiorentina with a conditional obligation clause. Youngster Ashley Phillips has also left Tottenham to join Middlesbrough. The English defender has secured a move to the Riverside Stadium on a five-year deal, becoming the eighth new face in Kim Hellberg’s squad. Ashley Phillips makes Middlesbrough admission after sealing move from Spurs The 21-year-old finally completed a move to Middlesbrough at the weekend after weeks of speculation. The central defender’s proposed deal encountered a snag last week, despite the two clubs reaching an understanding on the overall package and the player accepting the move. Eventually, the Championship club gave the green light for a move to materialise. Upon signing for Boro, Phillips expressed his excitement about the move and reflected on his journey through the English leagues so far. He also made it clear what his ambition is after penning a long-term deal. “I’m very excited to be here and can’t wait to be on the pitch. This is an amazing club and it deserves to be in the Premier League,” Phillips told Boro’s official website. “I hope to be a good addition to what’s already a fantastic squad, and hopefully we can achieve great things together this season. “I got some great experience at a young age with Blackburn, and then experienced what it’s like to be a Premier League player at Tottenham. “I think I’ve developed myself into a good player during my loans, but there’s more to come from me and I hope I can show that here at Middlesbrough.” Phillips keen to guide Boro to the top flight The highly-rated Englishman, who joined Spurs from Blackburn Rovers in 2023, has made the move to the Riverside Stadium in search of consistent first-team football after failing to break into the senior setup in North London. Phillips has become a part of Hellberg’s squad as an experienced player despite being just 21, having featured in the Championship for Blackburn Rovers, Plymouth Argyle and Stoke City. The England Under-21 international has reunited with his former Tottenham teammate Will Lankshear, who moved to the Teesiders earlier in the summer. The duo will be keen to produce strong displays throughout the season and help Boro achieve promotion to the Premier League.