Tottenham Hotspur defender Federico Fazio has arrived for a medical at West Bromwich Albion, according to Sky Sports.
According to the report, Spurs and West Brom have agreed upon a fee for the Argentine centre-back, which is understood to be around the £5m mark.
Fazio arrived at the north London club only last season from Sevilla, but his quick departure from the club suggests Spurs’ manager Mauricio Pochettino doesn’t see him as a first team regular. He made only 20 Premier League appearances last season.
Baggies manager Tony Pulis has talked up Fazio’s arrival, saying the defender’s move stems from a desire to play regular first team football.
“He’s a very good defender coming from a top club in Tottenham and the boy wants to play regular football,” Pulis was quoted as saying in a press conference by Sky Sports.
Moreover, the Lilywhites have brought in two new centre-backs this summer: Toby Alderweireld and Kevin Wimmer. They have already let Vlad Chiriches, Younes Kaboul and Bongani Khumalo off their books and Fazio is looking likely to follow suit in what has been an overhaul of the club’s defensive ranks.
With Spurs off to a relatively poor start to the 2015/16 campaign following an opening day defeat to Manchester United and last weekend’s home draw against Stoke City, Pochettino is looking to move the deadwood while focusing his attentions on bringing in a striker, with Baggies’ Saido Berahino widely mooted.
How much of an influence the Fazio move to West Brom will have on Berahino’s transfer in the opposite direction is hard to guess, but the 28-year-old will add defensive pedigree to Pulis’ side from his experience of playing for top clubs.
Pulis has already denied speculation Berahino’s departure is imminent following Fazio’s move, and stressed his club’s firm stance on keeping hold of their striker.
“That deal has nothing to do with Saido’s position at the football club. We want Saido to stay. You never say never but we want him to stay. It would be in his best interests,” Pulis added.
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