Tottenham's Federico Fazio has returned to former club Sevilla on loan until the end of the season, with a view to a permanent deal in the summer.
Fazio, 28, joined Spurs from the La Liga outfit in summer 2014 and started 20 league matches last season, forming a promising partnership in central defence with Jan Vertonghen.
But a series of high-profile errors and the summer arrivals of Toby Alderweireld and Kevin Wimmer forced Fazio down the pecking order, and he has been almost completely frozen out this season.
LOAN: @Fede2Fazio has joined Spanish side Sevilla on loan for the rest of the season. pic.twitter.com/U7plCpwYZV
- Tottenham Hotspur (@SpursOfficial) February 1, 2016
His solitary appearances was a calamitous display in Spurs' 2-1 League Cup defeat to Arsenal in October, where his mistake led to Mathieu Flamini's winner, and he has not been included in the matchday squad since November.
A Sevilla statement read: "Federico Fazio arrived on Sunday at the Aeropuerto de San Pablo and this Monday morning has signed for Sevilla FC, after the Nervion club and Tottenham closed an agreement of a loan until the end of the season, without option to buy."
Regresa @Fede2Fazio, un bastión para la defensa #SevillaFChttps://t.co/14yCdLqnwN pic.twitter.com/3mKlqpL7PV
- Sevilla Fútbol Club (@SevillaFC) February 1, 2016
The defender's departure leaves Spurs with just three fit centre-backs in Alderweireld, Wimmer and Eric Dier, who has been playing in midfield, as Vertonghen is facing two months on the sidelines after damaging his medial knee ligament.
Meanwhile, Milos Veljkovic has joined Bundesliga club Werder Bremen from Tottenham in a permanent deal, signing a contract until 2019.