Tottenham Hotspur have played host to some immeasurable talent, with the likes of Gareth Bale and Luka Modric having kickstarted their glistening careers in N17.

The former would command a world-record fee upon his exit, whilst the latter would go on to lead his country to a World Cup final, winning it all with Real Madrid and eventually ending Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo's monopoly over the Ballon d'Or to claim immortality in 2018.

Their recruitment is clearly impressive, with an academy even able to produce talent to go alongside that duo, as Harry Kane emerged nearly a decade ago and left over the summer for a whopping £100m fee.

However, there is perhaps a more underrated but equally impressive departure they instigated, which was made even more outstanding by the ease with which they had initially snagged Kyle Walker from Sheffield United, for what turned out to be a nominal fee.

Becoming a star in north London, and eventually a Premier League legend with Manchester City, it is fair to say that Harry Redknapp struck gold with his shrewd capture.

When did Spurs sign Kyle Walker?

Having worked his way up through the youth ranks at Bramall Lane, there were murmurs of a young full-back boasting raw blistering speed and a touch of class.

Having made himself the youngest Blades player to ever play at Wembley as they sought 2009 playoff glory, his consistent displays had caught Redknapp's eye despite their failure to secure promotion.

He would engineer a double swoop, bringing in both Kyle Naughton and Walker for a combined fee of around £10m. Whilst the former would fade into obscurity, instead becoming more of a cult hero with Swansea City, the now 34-year-old would continue his growth, establishing himself as a key asset under Mauricio Pochettino before his eventual sale.

That's not to suggest that this was an easy integration, with the defender having to bide his time before earning that first-team opportunity. He would return to Sheffield United initially on loan before two temporary spells at QPR and Aston Villa seemingly prepared him for the senior squad.

Ever since earning that opportunity, Walker has never looked back.

How good was Kyle Walker at Spurs?

Amassing an admirable 227 appearances during his time with the Lilywhites, his was a tenure littered with outstanding moments that underpinned his play style. Forever hard-working and physically immense, the ageing ace was also in possession of more than enough quality to shine at the apex of English football, although Spurs were largely far from it.

One such example of that talent came in 2011, as the £175k-per-week star lashed home a thunderous effort to deceive Wojciech Szczesny and win his side the north London derby.

Then, the year following would see him recognised for this ever-growing skillset, as Walker was named the PFA Young Player of the Year award, beating out the likes of Sergio Aguero, Danny Welbeck and teammate Bale.

Of all the excitement that such a stellar start to a career promised, the sole downside was the lack of silverware, as his side never really came close. That could have all changed in 2015 though, as they made their way to the EFL Cup final to face bitter rivals Chelsea. However, the right-back's return to Wembley unfortunately ended up the same way as his last, falling to defeat.

This would be the closest Walker would come to a trophy throughout his eight years with the Lilywhites, and his exit came in 2017, commanding a mouth-watering £53m fee. After all, the titan had just been named in the PFA Team of the Year for the second time, with good reason.

His 7.10 average rating for the Premier League that term marked an outstanding figure for a full-back who failed to score a single goal. Five assists outlined his creativity alongside 1.2 key passes per game, whilst his athleticism and defensive intelligence allowed him to record 1.2 interceptions, 2.2 tackles and 2.8 clearances per game, via Sofascore.

Pundit Kenny Cunningham would seek to outline the former attribute, branding City's number two a "phenomenal athlete" just last year.

Whilst many may have rushed to praise such a fine personal year, they likely had little knowledge of just how revolutionary Pep Guardiola would prove to be with the England international.

Why did Manchester City spend £53m on Kyle Walker?

It is a testament to Walker's ability to adapt to a new philosophy that he has remained such a mainstay under the ever-evolving Spanish tactician, who is forever seeking to find new ways to dominate football.

And, it must be said that, with each passing year the 52-year-old seems to succeed in such a venture. Since that 2017 departure, the 5 foot 10 stalwart has filled en entire trophy cabinet with untold silverware, playing a vital role in five Premier League titles, two FA Cups, four EFL Cups and one Champions League, the latter of which capped off their unprecedented treble too.

In fact, such has been his longevity and success at the Etihad, his 263 games for the Citizens have actually surpassed the appearances earned with Spurs.

Although it could be debated which his standout year has been, given there have been so many, his current campaign is suggesting it could be the strongest yet despite having turned 33 back in May. After all, no defender in the squad has managed more than his 1.3 key passes a game in the league.

Guardiola even sought to laud his lucrative acquisition, highlighting the 78-cap ace's importance to their continued success: "The level Kyle has shown with us these four years has been fantastic. He’s another person who has his life calm and in order, he’s such an important player for us

“After 4 years there are moments when you can be down but last game he showed how important he is. He has to handle the best strikers in the world, and he can handle it, he can win the duels."

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Although Walker has gone on to reach impossible heights since leaving north London, few can fault his commitment before departing, and the results earned through earning such a move.

City are one of the greatest club sides ever seen, with Spurs having produced their starting right-back. The hope is that Ange Postecoglou can now forge a similar dynasty, retaining their star players to one day reach such a level.