The English Premier League shut its transfer window at 12:00 p.m. EDT, but league officers allowed some teams to complete pending deals after the deadline since they had already submitted the necessary paperwork. One of those deals to be completed beyond the deadline was Giovani Lo Celso's move to Tottenham, who have finally signed the Argentine footballer on loan.
The deal between Real Betis and Spurs comes with a number of add-ons and a clause in Lo Celso's deal to make the deal permanent if Pochettino's side makes it to the 2020-21 UEFA Champions League. The UCL runners-up agreed to sign Lo Celso by paying Betis an initial fee of $18M. If Spurs meet the aforementioned requirement, then they will have to pay the Spanish side an added fee of $67M next summer.
Here's the team's announcement on social media.
We are delighted to announce that we have reached agreement for the season-long loan signing of @LoCelsoGiovani from @RealBetis with an option to make the transfer permanent. #HolaLoCelso #COYS https://t.co/fGEHrQiq8D
— Tottenham Hotspur (@SpursOfficial) August 8, 2019
The 23-year-old had his breakthrough season in Europe with PSG in 2016, but his skills were put to good use by Betis in the 2018-19 campaign, where he was able to make a name for himself. Lo Celso has played 18 games for the Argentine National Team, scoring two goals for La Albiceleste.
Lo Celso's addition to Spurs' midfield could pave the way for Christian Eriksen's departure to Real Madrid, since both of them play the same role on the pitch. The Argentine is the third Spurs' signing during the summer transfer window, following the arrivals of Tanguy Ndombelé and Ryan Sessegnon.
