THE FIRST SIGNING OF THE SEASON: ALBERT LOPO http://www.deportivo-la-coruna.com/news.php 27 May 2006 -- The club confirmed that Albert Lopo will join Deportivo for the season 2006/07. The Catalan has signed a five-year contract and he will travel to Isla Canela in order to participate in the pre-season stage. The ex-Espanyol player also announced the news in a press conference that he gave in Barcelona. Albert Lopo Garcia (26) has spent all his professional career in Espanyol. He started to play when he was ten, and soon the coaches noticed his good skills. He debuted in Primera in a match against Zaragoza when he was just 18-years-old. He played nine games in la liga during the following two years with the first squad. Then he became a regular starter at the end of the 2000/01 campaign playing 13 of the last 16 matches. He gave good impressions to both coaches Javier Clemente and Lotina. He won a place in the starting squad and during the following four years Lopo played 156 matches with the Catalans, also scoring seven goals during that period. Lopo played 33 games in the past liga season and was one of the vital parts that helped in the conquer of the copa del rey. The incorporation to Depor is an important step in his career, Lopo has a lot of confidence in the new project that Caparros is implementing, and for that reason he refused the renovation offer made by Espanyol. That's precisely one of conflicts that have appeared in the signing. Although it was a free-transfer, Espanyol is asking Depor for €6 million because of the deal signed by some Primera clubs. This deal involves a payment that any of the signing clubs must do if they hire a player ending contract with other Primera club. The argument of Deportivo is that they participated in the elaboration of the deal, but the Galician club never subscribed the deal at the end. The same Espanyol's president, Daniel Sanchez Llibre, announced that his club will go to court in order to secure the payment. Depor's officials assured in private that they don't fear this demand. In any case Lopo will join Deportivo in July and will participate in the pre-season stage that will take place in Isla Canela. The Catalan will reinforce the defensive central positions, a zone that already has a casualty since Cesar is ending his contract in June. --

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