Tottenham agree deal for 21-year-old worth £6.6m - report

Founder & Managing Director AUTHORITY Former chief correspondent at Evening Standard, Goal and Press Association with nearly three decades in national, regional and digital news and sports journalism. Wayne directs the network’s news strategy and high-level operations. FOCUS Editorial direction for the 11-site network and newsroom management. THE BRIEF Wayne oversees the network’s editorial standards across the network. He provides the final sign-off on all headline scoops, ensuring content across all platforms meets the standards required for a high-velocity newsroom.

Published on:

18 Aug 2016, 1:13 am

By London correspondent Tony Hughes

Tottenham have reached a verbal agreement with Espanyol to sign goalkeeper Pau Lopez on a loan-to-buy deal, according to a report.

Spanish newspaper Sport claim Spurs will pay a £520,000 fee to sign Lopez on a season-long loan and there will be a £6.1million option to buy him permanently next summer.

It is said that Espanyol have given the green light to the 21-year-old leaving as new manager Quique Sanchez Flores will install summer signing Roberto from Olympiako as his No1 this season.

Lopez would arrive at Tottenham as back-up to established first choice Hugo Lloris, who will be sidelined for a month with a hamstring injury sustained against Everton last weekend.

Following further assessment of the hamstring injury sustained by Hugo, we can confirm he's expected to be out of action for around 4 weeks.
— Tottenham Hotspur (@SpursOfficial) August 16, 2016

Spanish outlet

Sport

claimed at the start of August that the Londoners had an initial £2million bid for Lopez rejected as manager Mauricio Pochettino looked to add competition for Lloris.

The injury to the Spurs captain increases the need to sign a new keeper even though his deputy Michel Vorm is an experienced Premier League campaigner.

The arrival of the shot-stopper from Spain could push Vorm further down the White Hart Lane pecking order.

Espanyol academy graduate Lopez made his debut in 2014 for the Spanish club, who were previously managed by Pochettino.

Lopez made 38 appearances for the La Liga club in all competitions last term, as he conceded 74 goals, which included seven clean sheets.

Pochettino's ties with his former club appear to have smoothed out the deal as the Argentine boss looks to add his third major signing of the summer.

Spurs finished an impressive third last season which secured them Champions League football, but they stuttered in their 2016-17 season opener - drawing 1-1 with Everton at Goodison Park on Saturday.

In other Tottenham transfer news, they are told to up £3million bid for English wonderkid.

Tottenham Hotspur

Espanyol

Pau Lopez