Sissoko saga continues as player denies Everton deal

A day after Everton owner Farhad Moshiri claimed the Toffees were the party who pulled out of the deadline-day move for Newcastle's Moussa Sissoko, the player has refuted claims he agreed to a deal with the Merseysiders.

In what's becoming English football's equivalent of a Telenovela, Sissoko asserts he was never close to leaving London, where the French international was stationed while finalising a hefty £30-million move to Tottenham.

Related: Everton owner Moshiri explains Sissoko pullout

"I never went to Everton," Sissoko said Thursday after France's 3-1 friendly victory over Italy, according to Ian Holyman and Dan Kilpatrick of ESPNFC. "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 Spurs).

"The main thing is that I signed for the club I wanted to join. 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," Sissoko added.

With an eye on continental competitions, Sissoko is targeting a role in Spurs' return to Europe's premier tournament after a five-year hiatus.

"I have played at a World Cup and a Euro. I was only missing playing for the cup with the big ears (Champions League)."

Related: Tottenham hijacks Everton's deal, makes 11th-hour signing of Sissoko

On the heels of a standout display for France at Euro 2016, Sissoko emerged as a desired top-flight target, and after a busy summer that culminated with a move to White Hart Lane, the Toulouse product appears pleased to settle with Tottenham.

"It's been the longest month of my career," he added. "It's true that Wednesday was rather stressful, it was completed in the final hours. But the main thing is that it's done, that my transfer to Tottenham went through."