Pape Matar Sarr joined us from Metz in August 2021.
The dynamic midfielder made a significant impact in the 2023/24 season, featuring in 35 of our 41 matches across all competitions, including 34 (27 starts) in the Premier League, where he contributed three goals and three assists.
Pape formed a strong partnership with Yves Bissouma in midfield, playing a key role in our impressive unbeaten start to the campaign, during which we secured eight victories in our first ten matches. A standout moment for Pape came early in the season when he scored his first goal for Spurs, helping us to a 2-0 victory over Manchester United in Ange Postecoglou’s first home match in charge. His league goals were all scored in wins against United, Bournemouth, and Brighton.
His excellent performances earned him a new contract in January, extending his stay until 2030.
Selected as part of Senegal’s AFCON squad in January, Pape was also nominated for the CAF Player of the Year award.
He joined Metz from the Generation Foot Academy in Senegal in September 2020, making his debut in Ligue 1 against Brest in November. Over the course of the 2020/21 season, he made 25 appearances (22 in Ligue 1 and three in the Coupe de France), scoring four goals. After joining us, he returned on loan to Metz for the remainder of the 2021/22 season, where he made 27 appearances.
Pape truly broke through in the 2022/23 season, making 14 appearances (five starts) in all competitions. He made his debut off the bench against Aston Villa on New Year’s Day 2023, followed by his first full start in our FA Cup victory against Portsmouth that same month. He also impressed in the UEFA Champions League Round of 16 first leg at the San Siro alongside Oliver Skipp, earning praise for their performances in central midfield.
Pape made his senior international debut for Senegal in an Africa Cup of Nations qualifier against Congo in March 2021. He was part of the Senegal squad that won the Africa Cup of Nations in February 2022 and competed in the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar. He also played a role in Senegal’s journey to the last 16 of the 2024 AFCON. By the end of the 2023/24 season, Pape had accumulated 24 caps.
Senegal
