Pau Lopez, Espanyol's goalkeeper, will be loaned to Tottenham Hotspur, with the club's reaching a verbal agreement, although it has not been made official yet.

Juan Carlos Gracia

Mauricio Pochettino's team - an ex player and ex coach of Espanyol - will pay 600,000 euros for the loan, which goes up to the end of the season, and they will also have an option to buy for 7m euros. Pau Lopez, in theory, will be back-up to Hugo Lloris.

The stopper, who turns 22 in December, is conscious that Quique Sanchez Flores has faith in Roberto, brought to the club from Olympiacos, and although he won't be a regular starter at Spurs can count on Pochettino's confidence and his that of his technical team, and he he believes he can grow at White Hart Lane.

Pau joined Espanyol as a 12-year-old, reaching the first team after playing in all the youth sides. The player's contract ends in 2018, but negotiations over a renewal froze a few weeks ago. The club have accepted the loan idea as Pau is not set to be a starter and will look for a new goalkeeper.