Corluka signs for Lokomotiv Moscow

By ESPNSTAR.com staff

The defender had been reduced to a bit-part player at the north London club as Kyle Walker had usurped his place in the starting XI in the preceding season. 

Corluka featured in Euro 2012 for the Croatian national team but was unable to prevent his side's exit from the tournament even as he produced a resolute performance against defending champions Spain in the Blazers' final group match. 

At Lokomotiv, he will be reunited with ex-Tottenham striker Roman Pavlyuchenko who gave a glowing tribute of the Russian club's latest signing. 

Pavlyuchenko, who joined Lokomotiv in January, said of the news: "It's great news - the best I've heard for a week and a half.

"He is a very tenacious, uncompromising defender, who is practically impossible to beat one on one.

"He convinced me of this in training several times.

"He's physically strong and, without flatter[y], I would say that Corluka was probably the strongest defender at Tottenham."

The former Manchester City player will continue to work under Croatia coach Slaven Bilic, who will take up the helm at Lokomotiv in the coming weeks. 

Corluka's experience at international level was vital in convincing Cyril Kotov, the head of Lokomotiv's selection department, who said: "Vedran is one of the leaders of the Croatian national team. This is a top-level defender with great decision-making and excellent physique.

"A lot of European clubs would have liked to sign Vedran but he choose in our favour and this helped in our negotiations with Tottenham."

Corluka signed a three-year deal with the club and moves for an undisclosed fee believed to be in the region of £5.5 million.