When Tottenham Hotspur announced the signings of Dominic Solanke and Archie Gray, the news came with all the fanfare one would expect—elaborate videos, media packages, and a polished rollout. But when it came to the signing of Wilson Odobert, the approach was decidedly more understated, even old-school.
Speaking on The Spurs Chat Podcast, Josh Hughes of The Mail shared his thoughts on Tottenham’s peculiar way of announcing Odobert’s arrival. Hughes noted that the club’s use of the phrase “subject to formalities” in the announcement was unusual, especially in today’s media-savvy football world.
“One thing I would say, and we spoke about this off-air, is that they used the phrase ‘subject to formalities,’ which is a very strange use of words,” Hughes remarked. “That’s the first time in a long time I’ve seen Spurs announce a deal like this, without the usual fanfare of a player holding up the shirt or an announcement video. The whole thing is very strange.”
Hughes speculated that given Odobert had passed his medical, one might have expected a more typical announcement. However, the timing may have played a role. With Thursday being media access day at Spurs, the focus was likely on preparations for the upcoming match against Leicester City. “Maybe it was just a case of this happening quickly, but the whole thing is just mad, isn’t it?”
There may indeed be a reason for the haste. As Hughes suggested, Friday marked something of a mini-deadline day, with new signings needing to be completed before 12 PM to be eligible for the weekend’s games. Tottenham announced Odobert’s signing at 10:30 AM, ensuring that the young Frenchman could be available for Monday’s clash against Leicester, should manager Ange Postecoglou choose to include him.
While the low-key announcement may have been unusual, it seems it was driven by the need to get the deal over the line quickly—perhaps a reminder that in football, timing is everything.
