DEPOR COMPLETE SERGIO DEAL

SERGIO GONZALEZ has completed his move from Espanyol to Deportivo La Coruna, for an £11 million fee, after the Barcelona side received assurances that the full amount would be paid.

Espanyol have been looking to jettison a number of high-profile stars including Raul Tamudo and Gonzalez to ease their own crippling debts and the fee will go a long way to appeasing the club's bankers.

On Sunday, planetfootball.com reported that the two sides were close to an agreement and now it appears that, after Depor convinced Espanyol that they could pay, Sergio is on his way to the Riazor.

Daniel Sanchez Llibre, the Espanyol president clarified matters, saying: "There is no distrust regarding Deportivo.  It's just that there are so many outstanding debts in Spain that you have to be careful.

"I want to make it clear that I do not include Deportivo in this, but I have a responsibility to look after Espanyol's interests.

"That is the only reason we demanded the maximum guarantees on the payment. We are not a financially sound club at the moment and need to balance the books."

Valencia were also briefly in the hunt for Sergio, but Depor were the only side to make a firm bid and it is to the Champions League quarter-finalists that Sergio has moved to on a five-year deal.