Tottenham Hotspur have terminated the contract of full-back Matt Doherty by mutual consent in order to allow him to join Atletico Madrid.
Reports emerged on deadline day that the North London outfit had agreed to loan the defender to Atletico in order to make room for the incoming Pedro Porro.
However, the club surprisingly announced an hour before the 11pm deadline that Doherty's contract has instead been terminated in order to allow him to switch clubs.
Atletico confirmed the arrival of the Republic of Ireland international on a deal until the end of the season moments after Tottenham's announcement, with Doherty joining the Spanish giants on a free transfer.
🔴⚪ #WelcomeDoherty
— Atlético de Madrid (@atletienglish) January 31, 2023
đź‘Ť @mattdoherty20 passed his medical which took place at @ClinicaNavarra. pic.twitter.com/aoEqWCFzaw
The 31-year-old joined Spurs from Wolverhampton Wanderers in 2020 and went on to make 71 appearances for the club, scoring three goals.
Sky Sports News reports that the decision to terminate his contract was down to FIFA rules about loan limits which Tottenham had already reached.
"We have mutually agreed to the termination of Matt Doherty's contract to enable him to join another club," read a statement on Tottenham's official website.
"We should like to thank Matt for his service and wish him well for the future."
Doherty, who joins fellow right-back Djed Spence in leaving Spurs on deadline day, could make his debut for Atletico when they host Getafe in La Liga on Saturday.
