Report: Roberto Soldado on verge of permanent move to Villarreal
Roberto Soldado's disastrous stint at Tottenham Hotspur is reportedly about to reach its end.
The 30-year-old forward is on the verge of a permanent move to Villarreal having flown to his native Spain on Thursday morning to finalise the transfer, reports David Hytner of the Guardian.
Simply put, Soldado has suffered two miserable seasons at White Hart Lane since joining Tottenham in August 2013, unable to crack the club's starting XI and scoring only seven Premier League goals, four of which came from the penalty spot.
Roberto Soldado is expected to complete a move to Spain following a disappointing spell at Tottenham. #SSNHQ pic.twitter.com/DnDNtSdLvz
— Sky Sports News HQ (@SkySportsNewsHQ) August 13, 2015
Erik Lamela further hinted at Soldado's exit Thursday, issuing a clear goodbye to his teammate via Instagram, writing a since-deleted message: "I enjoyed these two years that we share, I wish you well in your new club !! Good luck my friend !!"
Related: Tottenham's Erik Lamela hints at Roberto Soldado exit with goodbye tweet
Manager Mauricio Pochettino, however, refused to confirm Soldado's transfer to Villarreal was imminent, saying: "It is true that the club gave permission for Roberto to go to Spain. The club will announce after that if something happens or not."
Soldado was not included in Tottenham's 18-man squad for its 1-0 loss at Manchester United on Saturday.