Announced on Tuesday, the arrival on loan of Spanish goalkeeper Pau Lopez to Lens was “cancelled”, announced the Sang et Or on Wednesday evening, because, according to them, of Girona's desire “to keep the player until January 29 “.
Who will keep the Lensois goals on Sunday at the Océane stadium in Le Havre? Now orphaned by Brice Samba, who left to find Seko Fofana in Rennes, Will Still will not be able to count on Pau Lopez either. The fault lies in an improbable turnaround. The signing of the Spanish goalkeeper (30 years old) fell through this Wednesday.
The day before, Lens had nevertheless recorded his arrival in the form of a loan until June, with an option to purchase. Pau Lopez even posed with the blood and gold jersey, and the club featured him in a video referencing the hit series Squid Game. Posts since deleted. Because Pau Lopez will not be Lensois.
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A file linked to the Champions League
“While a total agreement had been found between the Racing Club de Lens, Olympique de Marseille (with which Lopez is under contract) and Pau Lopez, the arrival of the Spanish international is canceled,” announced Racing in a press release this Wednesday. “Girona FC informed Olympique de Marseille today of its firm desire to keep the player until January 29, an unacceptable condition for Racing which thus renounces this signing.”
-The reason given by the Spanish club would be the impossibility of including another goalkeeper on the list of players able to play in the Champions League, according to our information. The league stage of the European competition concludes on January 29. Currently ranked 30th, five lengths from the top 24, Girona has registered two experienced goalkeepers this season (the holder Paulo Gazzaniga and, therefore, Pau Lopez), as well as three young people, Jordi Danso (17 years old), Pau Garcia (17 years old) and Lucas Garcia (20 years old).
Juan Carlos Martín (36), third goalkeeper in La Liga, was not included on the Champions League A list. For Girona, the fear was to find themselves having to field a young goalkeeper in C1 in the event of Gazzaniga's injury. With Pau Lopez, the club keeps a number 2 until the end of the league phase.
On the Lens side, if no other goalkeeper signs by then, it is Hervé Koffi, solid despite the defeat against Toulouse (0-1) on Sunday, who should hold his place this weekend.
