Girona are still trying to sign Pau Lopez, ‘through the economic power of Manchester City’, reports Thursday’s edition of Sport.
It was another Spanish newspaper, AS, which first launched the Manchester City connection with Pau, at the beginning of January. Back then it may have been for a permanent, and paid for, transfer during the January window, with Pau going straight to Girona, but now any move would be on a free transfer.
Pau’s contract with Espanyol ends in June, and he’s free to talk to other clubs. Repeated renewal attempts haven’t yet found common ground and Espanyol have become frustrated, turning to their other goalkeeper Diego Lopez.
There’s no clear explanation how City would be involved in signing Pau, whether he’d join them and then go out on loan to Girona, or be a straight Girona signing which they feel confident to make thanks to the backing of City Football Group.
Pau spent last season on loan with Tottenham Hotspur, but they couldn’t agree a fee to sign him at the end of that period. The 23 year old returned to Espanyol and was being picked ahead of Diego Lopez before being sent back to the bench, almost certainly as a result of his contract situation.
The player’s agent insists nothing has been signed with any club yet.
