Tottenham has agreed to sign South Africa midfielder Steven Pienaar from Premier League rival Everton.
Pienaar, who had also been in talks with English champion Chelsea after refusing to sign a new contract at Everton, announced the move earlier Tuesday on Twitter.
''To end speculation I am going to Spurs,'' he posted on his Twitter account. ''I've had brilliant years at Everton and it will always be a special place in my heart.''
Tottenham later confirmed the deal on its website, saying: ''We are delighted to announce that we have reached agreement with Everton and Steven Pienaar for the player's transfer to the Club.'' It did not give any financial details of the move.
British media reported that Spurs offered 2.5 million pounds ($4 million) for 28-year-old Pienaar, who played in the World Cup last year and was out of contract after this season. Chelsea was widely reported to have offered three million pounds ($4.8 million).
Everton said Monday it had settled on a fee with Tottenham for the winger, who moved to Goodison Park on loan from Borussia Dortmund in 2007 before signing a permanent deal the following year.
Pienaar can play anywhere across the midfield but may struggle to break into Tottenham's first team, given the good form of left-winger Gareth Bale and playmakers Rafael van der Vaart and Luka Modric this season. England winger Aaron Lennon has been a fixture on the right midfield for Spurs.
Pienaar, whose stint in Europe began at Dutch side Ajax before signing for Dortmund, was named Everton's player of the year last season but gave no assurances he wanted to stay beyond the end of this campaign.
Everton, who sent Nigeria striker Ayegbeni Yakubu on loan to Leicester last week, decided to sell Pienaar in the January transfer window rather than risk losing him on a free transfer in the summer.
Tim Cahill, currently playing for Australia at the Asian Cup, said before Tottenham's confirmation Pienaar would be a ''massive loss'' to Everton.
''It's sad to see him go,'' Cahill said in an interview with The Associated Press. ''He's an exceptional player and he's going on to, in his mind, bigger and better things.
''Over the years he's brought qualities to the team we've needed, so not keeping him is disappointing. But when a player wants to go, there's nothing you can do.''
