Benjamin Stambouli joins Paris Saint Germain after 12 months at Tottenham Hotspur

Paris Saint Germain new signing Benjamin Stambouli says the chance to play in the Champions League again was too good an opportunity to turn down following confirmation of his move to the French giants after just 12 months at White Hart Lane.

Stambouli has signed a five-year deal with the Ligue 1 champions, becoming the 16<sup>th permanent departure from Spurs of a summer during which manager Mauricio Pochettino continues to conduct significant surgery on his squad.

The 24-year-old joined from Montpellier in the summer of 2014 but struggled to make an impact during his maiden season in English football with Tottenham and made just 25 appearances in all competitions, with starts restricted to the domestic cup competitions and the Europa League

"I'm still young and I need to keep working, so working alongside the players here on a daily basis will help me take the next step up in class," he told PSG's official website upon his move from Tottenham.

"I will try and learn as much as possible from them. I think they will give me lots of advice, so, yes, it was a big factor in my choice.

"Playing with players with such individual talent will definitely help me improve. I received a great welcome from the squad, they know how to make you feel welcome and our initial exchanges were excellent."

Formerly a France Under-21 international, Stambouli got a taste for top-tier European football during the 2012-13 season with Montpellier, making four appearances as the club failed to progress to the knock-out stage.

The expectations on Stambouli and PSG are however far greater with the club having failed to reach the final four of the competition since being taken over by Qatar Investment Authority in 2011, though they did knockout Jose Mourinho's Chelsea last season.

Manager Laurent Blanc is under pressure to improve the club's performances on the continent and Stambouli says an opportunity to play in the competition motivated his swift exit from Tottenham.

"I got a taste for the competition with Montpellier," he added. "You dream about this competition when you're a kid, so to be able to play in the Champions League again also influenced my decision.

"It's fantastic what Paris Saint-Germain have achieved in this competition in recent years. We will try and go as far as possible and we hope to win it soon... that's the aim.

"To be able to defend the colours of the French capital is a magnificent opportunity and I'm very lucky to get this chance. I will do everything I can to progress, and give my maximum to repay the confidence the club has shown in me."

Stambouli becomes the latest high profile exit from north London this summer, following Paulinho, Lewis Holtby, Etienne Capoue and Younes Kaboul in leaving Tottenham in the off-season as Pochettino removes the dead wood from his squad.