Albion land Lopez

10:23pm Friday 31st August 2012 in Sport By Andy Naylor

Albion have confirmed the capture of David Lopez from Athletic Bilbao.

 

The Spanish right-sided midfielder has signed a one-year deal at the Amex after passing a medical earlier this evening.

The arrival of Lopez follows hot-on-the-heels of Stephen Dobbie's signing from Swansea and, earlier in the day, Andrea Orlandi, also from Swansea.



Boss Gus Poyet said of Lopez: "He is technically very gifted and has great ability.



"He is a right-sided midfielder and gives us another option. Ultimately he is going to bring extra quality to the squad and a different attacking midfield option."

 

The 29-year-old Bilbao-born midfielder has played more than 150 games in the Spanish Primera Liga for Bilbao and Osasuna.
 


He began his professional career with Osasuna's B side in 2001, where he made 81 league appearances, before being promoted to their Spanish club's first team, then switching to Bilbao for a reported €6m in 2007.



Lopez will not travel to Burnley this weekend but will link up with his new team-mates from Monday.

Comments(32)

Too many Harveys says...
10:27pm Fri 31 Aug 12

Gus doing it again and fair play to him. Two signings in the last hour of the window that no rumour site had even hd a sniff of.

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markymark03 says...
10:27pm Fri 31 Aug 12

The Spainish Armarda Rules -OK!

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cullipmyhero says...
10:27pm Fri 31 Aug 12

Top signing! Losing a winger who can't cross a ball and replacing with fluent passing players makes sense.
Dobbie is proven at this level, very sensible and logical, well done Gus!

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cullipmyhero says...
10:28pm Fri 31 Aug 12

Top signing! Losing a winger who can't cross a ball and replacing with fluent passing players makes sense.
Dobbie is proven at this level, very sensible and logical, well done Gus!

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Nathan L says...
10:28pm Fri 31 Aug 12

absolute magnificent signing, look how far brighton have come in two seasons. Look at all of the signings we have made this season and all of them could play in any team in this division imo. Lets give them a good welcome at the amex on the 14th and show why brighton is the club to leave spain for. Also has anyone noticed how bad sky sports has been on brighton transfers? its saying this is a loan when it was a free transfer and saying we paid a fee for orlandi when that was a free as well...

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namgo49 says...
10:28pm Fri 31 Aug 12

Look on You Tube - Kinda like a dark haired version of Ryan Harley. Good couple of goals though!!

Future looks bleak for the aforementioned Ryan Harley and also Gary Dicker, provided of course all these midfield reimforcements are fit and able to play more than once in a while!!

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BHA Dave says...
10:30pm Fri 31 Aug 12

One more to come apparently. Battery is dying. :(

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craigw25 says...
10:32pm Fri 31 Aug 12

Well we can see why noone left now and here is our replacement! good piece of buisness well done gus!

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mark by the sea says...
10:33pm Fri 31 Aug 12

Truly a interesting time, if the Spanish lads come off, we could play some exciting winning football... Who is the loan player coming ? Is it the lad from arsenal?

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mark by the sea says...
10:33pm Fri 31 Aug 12

Truly a interesting time, if the Spanish lads come off, we could play some exciting winning football... Who is the loan player coming ? Is it the lad from arsenal?

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mark by the sea says...
10:33pm Fri 31 Aug 12

Truly a interesting time, if the Spanish lads come off, we could play some exciting winning football... Who is the loan player coming ? Is it the lad from arsenal?

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Conelli98 says...
10:34pm Fri 31 Aug 12

Did say ten oclock !! tomorrows lottery numbers are 4, 15, 27, 28, 30 and 44!

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rolivan says...
10:35pm Fri 31 Aug 12

namgo49 wrote:
Look on You Tube - Kinda like a dark haired version of Ryan Harley. Good couple of goals though!!

Future looks bleak for the aforementioned Ryan Harley and also Gary Dicker, provided of course all these midfield reimforcements are fit and able to play more than once in a while!!
I think we are going to just pass teams into submission.All those saying we shouldn't be "I was going to say get rid of" but that is a bit harsh because most of them have served us well but Gus has improved the so much squad it is hardly recognisable.

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VegasSeagull says...
10:37pm Fri 31 Aug 12

So are we saying three in and a possible loan signing coming, is that correct?

Love the signings, quality and experience, top six here we come.

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Jonathan Mouette says...
10:38pm Fri 31 Aug 12

In an earlier post I admitted the pulse wasn't racing and the excitement wasn't there. Well, I now have a very broad grin and a bed reserved in A&E just in case the old ticker can't keep up!!! Having seen the Super Cup tonight the more Spanish guys the better ! Well done to one and all...!!!

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Boston Boy says...
10:38pm Fri 31 Aug 12

Not sure who I love more. Gus or Tony

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championshipgull says...
10:42pm Fri 31 Aug 12

Orlandi, Dobbie, and Lopez. That should give us a boost AND motivate the team starting tomorrow.

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championshipgull says...
10:42pm Fri 31 Aug 12

Orlandi, Dobbie, and Lopez. That should give us a boost AND motivate the team starting tomorrow.

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Hovite says...
10:45pm Fri 31 Aug 12

Shrewd bit of business, no money spent and over a million in the bank. I bet not many clubs can say that.

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PressBoxTeaBoy says...
10:45pm Fri 31 Aug 12

Dean Hammond is back ????

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albionfan33 says...
10:48pm Fri 31 Aug 12

looks like we signed hammond too on loan for the season

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cullipmyhero says...
10:50pm Fri 31 Aug 12

Hammond too! Holy ****!

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championshipgull says...
10:52pm Fri 31 Aug 12

albionfan33 wrote:
looks like we signed hammond too on loan for the season
Yes it's up on the official club site

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mark5 says...
11:02pm Fri 31 Aug 12

All this is great news! Unlike most of our Championship rivals, we have signed players of a better quality and from a higher division, whereas they have recycled other Championship players!! We now have a side more than capable of a top 6 finish and one that will produce beautiful free flowing passing football with a killer edge up front and what will be one of the meanest defences in the league. I for one, am absolutely delighted!! Well done Gus and all concerned! Roll on next Friday..............
....UTA!

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VegasSeagull says...
11:20pm Fri 31 Aug 12

I wonder how much money we spent, including the lump sum payment for those on a free. No news of any other than Noone leaving, find that surprising, especially in the case of Vincelot.

We are going to need a new team photo now.

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Captain Haddock says...
2:35am Sat 1 Sep 12

We're doing a lot of "landing" tonight!

Anyway, great signing. Yet more Spanish flair, guile and top flight experience. An indirect replacement for Nooney I'd fancy.

So that's five Spaniards now - am lovin' it!




So aside from development squad additions our newbies this summer now stack up as follows:

Kuszczak - top flight player and "dormant" international

Bruno - top flight player and flairtastic!

Bridge - bags of top flight experience and "dormant" international

Vicente (re-signed) - huge top flight experience including CL and a former Spanish international

Lopez - loads of top flight experience

Crofts - former player who returns improved from one season in The PL and one Championship promotion-winning campaign. Active Welsh international

Dobbie - bags of Cham'ship experience (including a promotion) and a year or two's experience in PL

Orlandi - another Cham'ship promotion-winning player with a season's top flight experience to follow

Hammond - another returning player who's improved whole away and has gained a couple of years PL experience previously + a Cham'ship promotion just last season as Saints' captain.

Notice a couple of recurring themes here?

And as Vegas points out somewhere above a number of these players (Dobbie, Lopez, Orlandi, Vicente, Bruno) are not only suited to our delicious style of play but have had direct previous experience of playing and thriving in it!

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Captain Haddock says...
2:39am Sat 1 Sep 12

Thriving in it at Blackpool and Swansea, of course! And yes I meant "improved WHILE away", not "whole"!

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JollyRoger says...
7:07am Sat 1 Sep 12

At this rate, if you don't speak Spanish you might find it difficult to get in the team!! LOL.

Great signings - can't wait to see the new guys in action!

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mikeygit says...
8:10am Sat 1 Sep 12

No I am NOT being negative---I think this news yesterday on the signings is EXCELLENT, BUT slightly worrying is SkySports rating of Lopez--a 5--which is 'Below average and out of touch' lowest rating 4--highest 10. We shall see. I am sure Gus will get the best out of ALL his signings.

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LACHANCE says...
8:25am Sat 1 Sep 12

l told you so a few days ago l rest my case.Good one Gus.

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bIsleybill says...
11:26am Sat 1 Sep 12

Don't forget the part the dire economy in Spain is a big factor in signings..if you had a young family Spain offers a grim future..'silver linings' and all that.
What a great season awaits!

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sdhgfhfuyt says...
8:15am Sun 2 Sep 12

Boston Boy wrote:
Not sure who I love more. Gus or Tony
Me neither Loz

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