Erik Lamela tweets goodbye to Tottenham team-mate Roberto Soldado - and then deletes it
Thursday 13 August 2015 18:04, UK
Tottenham striker Roberto Soldado appears to be imminently leaving the club following a goodbye message from team-mate Erik Lamela.
Soldado, 30, has endured a torrid time since moving to White Hart Lane in 2013 and Sky sources reported earlier this summer that he was one of several players the club had put up for sale.
Spurs boss Mauricio Pochettino confirmed on Thursday afternoon that Soldado had been given permission to return to Spain, but that not deal had been agreed with any club.
"I think there is a lot of rumours today," he said. "I think you know sometimes something happens in football, but at the moment nothing to say.
"But if something happens, the club announces at that moment. But so far nothing changes.
"It is true that the club gave permission (for Roberto) to go to Spain. All that happens after, the club announces if something happens or not."
Soldado was been pictured on social media at Gatwick airport on Thursday and reports in Spain suggest he is set to join Villarreal.
And Lamela tweeted, before deleting: "I enjoyed these two years that we shared, I wish you well in your new club. Good luck my friend!"
Soldado, who was prolific in Spain for former club Valencia for many years, was part of the recruitment drive of 2013 that saw Spurs spend over £110m on seven players, before Gareth Bale moved to Real Madrid.
But he has struggled, scoring just seven Premier League goals in two years and 16 in all competitions altogether.
Tottenham are also close to bringing in a new striker in Lyon's 21-year-old Clinton N'Jie.
The French club's president confirmed on Wednesday that a deal had been verbally agreed between the two clubs after Sky sources reported earlier this week that talks over a potential deal had begun.
