Moussa Sissoko insists he never had Everton agreement before signing for Tottenham Hotspur

Tottenham Hotspur midfielder Moussa Sissoko insists he was never close to joining Everton on transfer deadline day.

On a frantic conclusion to the summer transfer window, Sissoko signed a five-year deal at White Hart Lane after sealing a move from Newcastle United that reportedly earned the Championship side £30m ($40m, €36m).

But in the final hours of the window, it looked as if Everton were closing in on the France international. Ronald Koeman's side agreed a fee for the player and, according to Sky Sports, had even organised a private jet to take him up to Merseyside to complete the deal having also settled personal terms.

Sissoko claims that was not the case, however, insisting the first he heard of an agreement with the Toffees was when he saw it on the news.

"I never went to Everton," Sissoko told L'Equipe. "It's funny, I was watching TV and I saw that a deal had been done with Everton and that I had signed for them. But I was in London waiting to sign my contract [with Tottenham]."

After a disappointing campaign with Newcastle last term, Sissoko came to life for France at Euro 2016 and is hoping to carry that form into Tottenham's Champions League campaign.

"The main thing is that I signed for the club I wanted to join," Sissoko said. "Of course I would have liked it to have happened earlier, but now it's done.

"I hope to have a good season and I'm happy to be able to play in the Champions League. I have played at a World Cup and a Euro. I was only missing playing for the cup with the big ears [Champions League]."

In the aftermath of Sissoko's transfer saga, Everton's owner Farhad Moshiri has attempted to save face by insisting it was the club's choice to pull out of talks with the France international out of loyalty to James McCarthy, who had been linked with a move away from Goodison Park.