The France captain, who has been targeted by Spurs throughout the summer transfer window, is expected to complete a medical with the north London club on Friday having already agreed personal terms.

Reports in France suggest Spurs will pay an initial 12 million pounds for Lloris, with the rest of the fee dependent on performance-related add-ons, while Lyon will also have to give 25 percent of the fee to Nice.

Lyon released a statement on Thursday night claiming they had failed to agree a fee with Spurs - but the Londoners were always confident of signing Lloris on Friday.

Lloris, 25, will replace 41-year-old Brad Friedel has Andre Villas-Boas' number one but he will not join in time to be included in the squad to face Norwich at White Hart Lane on Saturday.

Spurs first made an approach to Lyon at the start of the summer but revived the deal in the final week of the transfer window following Luka Modric's 42-million-euro switch to Real Madrid.

Tottenham chairman Daniel Levy also felt a deadline day deal would take advantage of Lyon's uncertain financial position.

Lloris' move to Spurs would be the latest on an exceptionally busy day at White Hart Lane.

Tottenham have agreed a 27-million-euro fee with Porto for playmaker Joao Moutinho, while they have also tried to hijack Fulham's move for Manchester United striker Dimitar Berbatov.

Moutinho's arrival has paved the way for Rafael Van der Vaart to complete a return to Hamburg.

Danny Rose has joined Sunderland on loan and Giovani dos Santos has signed for Mallorca, but central defender Michael Dawson will stay at Spurs following a knee injury to Younes Kaboul that will keep him out for four months.