Tottenham transfer news: Matt Doherty joins Atletico Madrid after being released by Spurs

Matt Doherty scored three goals and provided eight assists in 71 Spurs appearances

Republic of Ireland defender Matt Doherty has been released by Tottenham and joined La Liga side Atletico Madrid.

The 31-year-old was expected to move to Atletico on loan but Spurs said they had “mutually agreed” to end his contract to enable the transfer.

Doherty arrived at Tottenham from Wolves in 2020 and made 71 appearances.

But Spurs boss Antonio Conte has preferred to play Emerson Royal at right-back instead this season.

And soon after Doherty’s departure was announced, the London club confirmed the arrival of Spain full-back Pedro Porro.

Doherty has only started seven Premier League games this season, and Conte criticised his performances in October, saying he was not seeing him in the “right way” to start every game.

Spurs are fifth in the Premier League, three points off the top four, while Atletico are fourth in La Liga and struggling to close the gap on Barcelona and Real Madrid at the top.

Doherty’s fellow defender Djed Spence has also left Spurs to join French side Rennes on loan for the rest of the season.

The 22-year-old has struggled for first-team football since signing from Middlesbrough in the summer for £20m. The deal does not include an option to make the move permanent.

Analysis

Alex Howell, BBC Sport

There is a Fifa ruling that meant a temporary exit was not possible for Doherty, with clubs only permitted to send out a maximum of eight players on loan per season – a quota that Spurs have already filled.

Harry Winks, Tanguy Ndombele, Bryan Gil, Joe Rodon, Sergio Reguilon, Giovani lo Celso, Destiny Udogie and the aforementioned Spence have all left the north Londoners on various loan deals over the past seven months, meaning that Doherty had to leave on a permanent basis in order to sign for Diego Simeone’s side this month.