Kevin Danso believes that there are more Tottenham fans in north London than Arsenal supporters after his first season in N17.
The 26-year-old joined Ange Postecoglou's Spurs side on loan from Lens in February before his deal was made permanent this week with a five-year contract for the centre-back and a £21million fee that makes him the second most expensive Austrian player ever.
Danso made 15 appearances in the second half of the campaign for his new employers, including one in the Europa League final against Manchester United in Bilbao as he came off the bench to make some crucial interceptions and help Tottenham win their first trophy in 17 years.
Two days later and Danso was part of an open-topped bus parade through north London that shocked him as an estimated 220,000 Spurs fans lined the streets from Edmonton up to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
"[That night in Bilbao] was and still is incredible. I hadn't even realised it on the pitch. I slid down on my knees to the fans. I didn't realise it right away; right after the game it was like a dream. It wasn't until two days later that I truly realised I was a European cup winner," the defender said to Austrian media outlet Krone while on international duty.
"If you're not in London yourself, you don't really realise what a fan base we have. From outside, you think there are more Arsenal fans in North London, but in my opinion, there are more Tottenham fans."
This season has been a rollercoaster for the centre-back. It began with a failed transfer to AS Roma after club doctors diagnosed him with heart issues. However, he had seven weeks of extensive examinations to find that there was no issue that would prevent him from playing. He kept playing for Lens to a high level and soon earned the move to Tottenham and the Premier League which eventually made him a European champion.
"After the second test, it was relatively certain there was no problem, so I was reassured early on," Danso said. "It was definitely the craziest season of my career with many ups and downs, but it ended well, so everything is forgotten."
Danso's aim now is to earn himself a place as a regular starter in the heart of the Spurs backline for years to come.
"When you join a top club, there's always competition, but I'm up for the challenge," he said. "It's the only league where every team has top, top players. There isn't a single easy game there."
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Tottenham winners range
Tottenham Hotspur Europa League Winners Range
Spurs are the 2025 Europa League champions and have launched their 'Winners Range'.
Fans can order merch including the 2024/25 home and away shirts with 'Winners 25' printing.
from £12 Tottenham Hotspur FC