Wednesday 1 July 2015 14:57, UK
Hamburg have triggered their option to sign Lewis Holtby from Tottenham on a permanent basis.
The 24-year-old midfielder spent last season on loan at the Bundesliga club, who had the option to make it permanent as part of the deal.
Holtby, who signed for Spurs under their former manager Andre Villas-Boas in January 2013, played 24 league games for Hamburg last season without scoring.
The Germany international, who has a British father, made 42 appearances in all competitions for Tottenham, scoring three goals, but found himself unwanted by both AVB's successor Tim Sherwood and current head coach Mauricio Pochettino.
Sherwood sent Holtby out on loan to Fulham as they unsuccessfully battled against relegation at the end of the 2013-14 season and then Holtby was allowed to join Hamburg shortly after Pochettino was appointed last summer.
Holtby began his career with Schalke before spells with Bochum and Mainz and represented four levels of Germany's youth set-up from U18 to U21. He has three caps for the senior side.
