Former Olympique Lyonnais striker Lisandro Lopez has revealed how he vowed never to play for a European club again following a reported approach from Premier League side Tottenham Hotspur.
The Argentina international spent four years in France playing for Lyon after he was signed from FC Porto for €24 million in 2009 as a direct replacement for the outgoing Karim Benzema, who made the journey to Real Madrid that summer.
On French soil, Lopez enjoyed success as a goalscorer for Les Gones and naturally attracted the attention of some of the bigger clubs on the continent.
One club reportedly interested in his services was Tottenham who in 2013, under then-manager Andre Villas-Boas, wanted to bring the forward to England.
Lopez has criticised the way club chairman Jean-Michel Aulas and then-club manager Remi Garde handled the situation and admitted the whole saga convinced him never to pull on the shirt of a European club again.
Speaking to reporters (via France 3) Lopez said: “After three years and almost 80 goals, Remi Garde decided to play me left winger, with Gomis peak, Lacazette right and Grenier or Gourcuff at the creation. I did not agree.
“After six months like that, I returned the captain’s armband and said that I would rather be a substitute than play that position. At the end of the season, I had the opportunity to go to Juventus.
“The president of Lyon refused. A week from the end of the transfer window, Andre Villas-Boas calls me to play Tottenham. We agreed on everything, and the president closed the door again.
“I learned at that time that Villas-Boas had made an offer for me with Chelsea, but that I had never been told. I was so disappointed that I promised myself I would never play in Europe again.”
In response to Lopez’s comments, the club revealed they knew nothing official of any interest from outside parties in the player, who scored an impressive 82 goals in 168 games for the club.
“If there was indeed a sports debate between Rémi Garde and Lisandro Lopez on the position of the Argentine international during the 2012/2013 season, Olympique Lyonnais did not receive any transfer offers and did not so, in fact, refused none.”
Lopez eventually left the Ligue 1 side and returned to his native country, Argentina. He currently plays for Racing Club, where his scoring record has continued, netting 32 times in 84 games in all competitions.
The post Lisandro Lopez: I vowed never to play in Europe again after Spurs transfer approach appeared first on Squawka News.
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