Spurs’ dramatic move adds Clint Dempsey to Hugo Lloris
Tottenham hijack midfielder’s switch to Liverpool late on and sign France goalkeeper
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Your support makes all the difference.Tottenham Hotspur moved late last night to buy Fulham midfielder Clint Dempsey for £6m on transfer deadine day, after earlier signing France goalkeeper Hugo Lloris for £8m.
Dempsey had been looking for a move away from Craven Cottage but Fulham could not agree a deal with Liverpool, who were initial favourites to buy him. Tottenham agreed a £6m fee yesterday evening, before the American had a quick medical at Spurs' training ground at 9pm. He signed a three-year deal at roughly 10pm. The 29-year-old scored 17 Premier League goals last year and 23 in all competitions.
Dempsey's arrival followed that of Hugo Lloris, the 25-year-old France international keeper who signed a four-year deal. The fee paid to Lyons will be an initial £8m potentially rising to £12m. Lloris was the France keeper at the 2010 World Cup and at Euro 2012. He was voted Ligue 1 Goalkeeper of the Year in three of his four seasons at Lyons. Lloris is over 15 years younger than Spurs' current goalkeeper, Brad Friedel. The Lyons president, Jean-Michel Aulas, had earlier complained that dealing with Tottenham had been his "hardest negotiation" in 25 years in football.
The signings of Dempsey and Lloris followed a frustrating day of negotiations for Porto midfielder Joao Moutinho, a former player for Andre Villas-Boas at his old club. It looked as though Spurs could not complete a deal for the 25-year-old Portugal international by the 11pm deadline.
Dempsey, though, could help to fill the gap left by Rafael van der Vaart's departure yesterday. The 29-year-old forward ended his two-year spell at White Hart Lane, leaving to join Hamburg, where he played between his spells at Ajax and Real Madrid. Danny Rose joined Sunderland on loan and Giovani dos Santos signed a four-year deal with Spanish side Real Mallorca. Tom Huddlestone was close to joining Fulham on loan late last night.
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