FORMER Tottenham goalkeeper Pau Lopez has seen a transfer sensationally fall through… just a day after it was officially announced.
The Spaniard, 30, spent the 2016-17 season on loan at White Hart Lane.
He played the role of third choice at Spurs behind Hugo Lloris and Michel Vorm.
Tottenham denied the opportunity to sign Lopez permanently and he has since gone on to play for Real Betis, Roma and Marseille – in addition to earning two Spain caps.
Last summer, Lopez signed for Girona on loan from Marseille.
He has endured a frustrating first half of the season, having to play second fiddle to fellow ex-Tottenham stopper Paulo Gazzaniga.
Lopez has played just once for the Catalan side, in their 4-3 Copa del Rey exit at the hands of UD Logrones.
Yesterday it was announced that Lopez’s Girona loan would be cancelled, and that he would be heading to Ligue 1 side RC Lens for the remainder of the season.
RC Lens, who are managed by Will Still, recruited Lopez to be their No.1, after letting former Nottingham Forest goalkeeper Brice Samba join Rennes.
The French side announced the transfer alongside pictures of Lopez in their shirt.
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He had been expected to begin training today, only for Girona to throw a spanner in the works.
An RC Lens statement confirmed: “While a full agreement had been reached between Racing Club de Lens, Olympique de Marseille and Pau Lopez, the arrival of the Spanish international has been cancelled.
“Girona FC informed Olympique de Marseille today of its firm intention to keep the player until 29 January, an unacceptable condition for Racing, which is thus giving up on this signing.”
Marseille posted a statement of their own, explaining why Girona blocked the deal.
It read: “On Tuesday January 7, OM sent Girona FC the draft agreement for the early termination of the temporary transfer.
“Pau Lopez has successfully completed his medical and signed his employment contract with RC Lens, as well as the new loan agreement between RC Lens and OM.
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“OM, which is strongly committed to respecting contractual commitments and sporting regulations, has never countersigned the loan agreement with RC Lens, pending the signed return of Girona FC.
“Despite the absence of a definitive commitment from all parties, the communication departments of RC Lens and OM decided, in view of their regular collaboration, to announce the arrival of the Spanish goalkeeper at RC Lens, welcoming the new challenge offered to Pau Lopez in our Ligue 1 Championship.
“This premature communication, initiated by RC Lens, was made without any legal validation and was therefore quickly deleted by OM.
“When contacted by OM on the evening of Tuesday 7th January, Girona FC indicated that it would return the agreement for early termination of the loan the same evening or the following morning.
“Finally, mid-day on Wednesday January 8, Girona FC informed OM that they would have to wait until January 22 for the operation to materialize after their UCL match against AC Milan.
“Girona FC justified this position by an injury sustained by their third goalkeeper on their UEFA B list, Lucas Garcia, on Tuesday January 7 during training.”
With Samba having departed, RC Lens will now have to scramble for a new keeper ahead of their Ligue 1 match against Le Havre on Sunday.
Should they fail to secure a new stopper, deputy Herve Koffi will likely start.
Koffi, 28, made his first Ligue 1 appearance of the season last weekend in his side’s 1-0 home defeat to Toulouse.
