SAINTS have signed Spain Under-21 midfielder Iago Falque on loan until the end of the season.

The former Real Madrid and Barcelona youth team player joins from Tottenham Hotspur.

The Premier League side signed Falque from Juventus on a permanent deal, before loaning him straight out to Saints.

The 21-year-old left footer is an attacking midfielder, who can play out wide.

“I hope that I can help the team to great things this season,”

Falque told Saints’ official website last night.

Falque started his career briefly with Real Madrid before moving into Barcelona’s youth set-up.

He signed for Juventus in 2008, but never made a firstteam appearance.

Falque was loaned to Bari in 2009 and spent last season at Spanish side Villarreal B, where he scored 11 goals in 36 appearances.

Spurs initially took the player on a year-long temporary deal in the summer, with Falque making five appearances in the Europa League and one in the FA Cup.

He was part of the Spain Under-17 side that won the European Championships in 2007 and has been capped at under-19 and under-20 level.

He appeared as a late substitute in the under-21 side’s 3-2 friendly defeat in France in March last year.