Tottenham confirm goalkeeper Luke McGee has joined Portsmouth on permanent deal

Tottenham Hotspur have confirmed goalkeeper Luke McGee has left the club to join Portsmouth on a permanent deal.

McGee, 21, spent last season on loan in League One with Peterborough United, where he was named their players' player of the year in his first full season of senior football. The Posh had been eager to make his signing a permanent one, with club chairman Barry Fry reaching out to Spurs chairman Daniel Levy in May to try and negotiate a free transfer with the incentive of a huge sell-on fee.

Portsmouth also in League One, the third tier of English football, however have beaten them to a deal, signing up McGee on a three-year deal.

McGee paid tribute to his time at Tottenham with a message on Twitter, writing to his 114,000 followers: "I have spent 11 amazing years at my boyhood club and this was never going to be an easy decision.

"Thank you to all of the coaches, staff and players who helped make me who I am today and I will always be grateful. I hope cross paths again soon and wish everyone the best of luck for the future."

McGee joined Peterborough last summer after Tottenham brought in Pau Lopez to act as their third choice goalkeeper behind Hugo Lloris and Michel Vorm.

Lopez initially signed for Spurs on a season-long loan deal, a move that was rumoured to have a €7m purchase option. The 22-year-old did not make a single appearance for the first-team last season but Spurs' intention had been to pursue a permanent deal for the shot stopper.

Complications in the deal however have prevented any agreement being met with IBTimes UK revealing last month that Espanyol were demanding at least £4m for the signature of a player who is out of contract next summer.