Earlier reports had suggested that Brazilian midfielder Sandro arrived at Stansted airport bright and early on Monday morning ahead of Tuesday game against Werder Bremen, only to be told by Spurs boss Harry Redknapp and club secretary Darren Eales that he was not travelling.
Sandro was then reportedly sent home to play for a Spurs XI side later in the week.
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Word of the confusion soon spread, and various news outlets covered the awkward mishap in detail.
Sandro did turn up at the airport for the game with the expectation of spending time with his new team-mates, only to learn he would not be making the flight.
A Tottenham club spokesman revealed that Sandro was at Stansted airport expecting to travel with his new team-mates, despite not being eligible due to not being named in Spurs’ 25-man Champions League squad.
The 21-year-old joined Tottenham from Brazilian club Internacional in March, but remained with the Porto Alegre-based outfit until the end of August, helping Inter win the Copa Libertadores, South America’s equivalent of the Champions League.
The Brazil international played for a Spurs XI in a training ground friendly against Fulham on Wednesday afternoon, with the North Londoners running out 3-0 winners thanks to goals from Roman Pavlyuchenko, Robbie Keane and youngster Harry Kane.
By Jonathan Fadugba
