30-year old Cristian López Santamaría (born Alicante, 27th April 1989) is a forward who started his career in the youth set-up at Real Madrid and Valencia. He hails from Crevillente (Alicante), and made his debut in the Second Division with Alicante CF in the 2007-2008 season. He played in Real Madrid’s reserve side in the 2009-2010 season, scoring a total of then goals. He then moved to Valencia’s reserve side Mestalla where he scored 20 goals in Segunda 'B'. In the 2012-2013 season he signed for Atlético Baleares. The following season he tried his luck in English football. He turned out for a string of second division clubs including Huddersfield Town, Shrewsbury Town and Northampton Town.
In the 2014-2015 season López signed for Burgos CF, scoring 13 goals in 36 games. This good goal-scoring record attracted the attention of Rumanian first division outfit CFR Cluj, where he scored a further 13 goals. He helped his club win the Rumanian Cup in May 2016 on penalties against Dynamo Bucharest. The following year he scored four more goals in six matches before signing for Racing Club de Lens in the French second division. He also had a spell in another French club, Angers. His latest club until January this year was the aforementioned Hatta Club in the UAE.
The player arrived in Gran Canaria on Sunday at 8.50 from Madrid, via Alicante. He underwent his medical earlier this morning, Monday, at 8.30 at the Hospital Perpetuo Socorro. He will be unveiled to the press at around 12.00 in the hospital itself along with UD Las Palmas technical secretary Toni Otero.
