Tottenham Hotspur pulled the plug on a deal to sign Pau Lopez in the summer.
Espanyol’s Pau Lopez is a busy man at the moment. Only one goalkeeper in Spain’s top flight has made more than his 30 saves – Leandro Chichizola of Las Palmas – this season and it seems like he certainly has had a lot to do since his move to Tottenham Hotspur collapsed.
The 23-year-old spent last season on loan at Tottenham but failed to make a single appearance throughout his nine-month stint in the squad.
Hugo Lloris and Michel Vorm were ahead of him in the pecking order and Spurs chairman Daniel Levy pulled the plug on a summer deal to sign him permanently, according to Sport.
Diario La Grada reported that the Spanish keeper had a £6 million buy clause in the loan agreement but Levy was only offering a maximum of £3.5 million.
But with Vorm on the brink of turning 34 years of age and Lopez impressing back in Spain, was it a mistake by the Lilywhites chairman not to have just paid the additional £2.5 million for a player who looks to have a decent future?
He has conceded 10 goals in seven Primera Division games but by the virtue of the fact he has made 30 saves, you could argue that he is a big reason as to why Espanyol’s goal difference is not significantly worse than it is – minus four.
Lloris, 30, hasn’t inspired the utmost confidence this calendar year and you could argue that he needs a talented young goalkeeper to put the pressure on him. Vorm and Paulo Gazzaniga – signed in place of Lopez – don’t represent much competition.
Time will tell if Lopez is the real deal or not but it’s not unthinkable to wonder whether it was a mistake by Levy to cancel the move to North London long term.
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