The Tottenham Hotspur ‘keeper made his debut due to a double injury blow while the former Spurs man never got a chance.
When Pau Lopez signed for Tottenham on loan from Espanyol last season, there were a few raised eyebrows given the presence of Hugo Lloris and Michel Vorm at White Hart Lane.
To go from first-choice La Liga stopper to third-choice loanee made little sense at that stage of his career, and when Tottenham opted not to sign him permanently in the summer he headed back to Spain.
However, Lopez would have been forgiven for having a wry smile when he saw Paulo Gazzaniga given his Tottenham debut following a double injury blow to the two ‘keepers ahead of him in the pecking order.
The former Tottenham loanee never found himself in that kind of situation, barely featuring on the bench let alone in the starting line-up. But just a few months on from his departure Gazzaniga was there to make the most of the blow suffered by his two senior teammates.
The former Southampton stopper did not disappoint, delivering a fine performance in a 1-0 victory against Crystal Palace, and Lopez will be left wondering what might have been.
Had he made his debut and excelled, a permanent deal could have been agreed, giving him the chance to become Tottenham’s number one ‘keeper in the years ahead.
Instead Lloris and Vorm remained fit, Lopez left without a first-team appearance, and Tottenham’s newest stopper was allowed the opportunity to stake a claim of his own this month.
Receive exclusive football transfer news and updates twice a week to your mailbox
