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Lucas Moura and Conor Coady react as Tottenham man leaves club permanently

Matt Doherty was one of the biggest surprises of the January window when Tottenham announced that he is leaving the club on a free to join Atletico Madrid – prompting reaction from Conor Coady and Lucas Moura, among others.

Doherty, 31, ended a spell lasting two and a half years after his move to Spurs from Wolves in the summer of 2020. It was expected that the Ireland international would be joining Diego Simeone’s side on loan – but he has gone on a free.

That is because Tottenham had eight players out on loan to overseas clubs. Another, in the form of Doherty, would have broken those rules. It came after Djed Spence completed a move to join Joe Rodon at Ligue 1 side Stade Rennais.

Doherty took to Instagram to send a message to Tottenham supporters after completing his move to Atletico Madrid. The ex-Wolves man has thanked Spurs and the club’s fans for the last two years. He has signed a six-month Atleti deal.

Coady and Moura react as Doherty leaves Tottenham to join Atletico

It is a bizarre move. But given the deal was clearly at an advanced stage and by the time Spurs realised, it might have been that Doherty was ready to go. So, the only viable deal was that they pay up Doherty’s contract and let him go.

It might be that Atleti’s loan fee, if they were paying one – which is likely – goes to Tottenham to help deal with his compensation fee. Fabio Paratici explained that Spurs felt as though they owed Doherty the opportunity to leave.

But it is a huge loss for Spurs. More so in the dressing room, than actually on the pitch. Doherty is renowned for being a close friend to the likes of Harry Kane and Eric Dier. Lucas Moura and Conor Coady responded to his post.