According to a recent report from The Sun, Leeds United are eyeing up a January move for Fernando Llorente. The 33-year-old is currently playing his football at Premier League outfit Tottenham and has done so since leaving Swansea City back in the summer of 2017, although a lack of regular football under Mauricio Pochettino has called into question his future in North London.
And reports suggest that Marcelo Bielsa is seeking a reunion with the forward having spent time together at Athletic Bilbao in the past, with the reported £4 million asking-price for the Spaniard all that is standing between Leeds and a return to the Premier League.
The Breakdown
Ultimately, the Yorkshire giants have again got themselves into promotion contention by winning eight of their opening 17 Championship matches, thus sitting third in the division ahead of their clash with Bristol City this weekend. And much of that resurgence can be put down to new manager Bielsa and the methods he has implemented at Elland Road, as although they did make some signings over the summer, the vast majority of his first team played under Paul Heckingbottom last season in their 12th place finish.
Yet the biggest issue Leeds have had in the last two seasons, both of which they got themselves into position to challenge for promotion, is that they have run out of steam as the season went on – the same could well happen this time round, especially given Bielsa’s squad isn’t the deepest in the division. And that is none-more-so evident than in the forward ranks as, outside of star man this season Kemar Roofe, Bielsa has just Tyler Roberts to call upon given the lengthy injury sustained by Patrick Bamford earlier this term – thus, fresh impetus is needed in that area.
And a deal for Tottenham’s Llorente, a man who played some of the best football of his career under Bielsa at Athletic Bilbao between 2011 and 2013, would be a masterstroke the Leeds chief simply has to pull off. The 33-year-old may well be past his absolute best, but it wasn’t too long ago that he was inspiring Swansea City to Premier League safety with 15 goals in just 33 appearances in the 2016/17 season – he and Gylfi Sigurdsson single-handedly kept the Swans up that term.
And while things haven’t quite gone to plan for the striker at Spurs, one mustn’t forget the career he has had at the top level, while the fact that Pochettino does continue to call upon the 33-year-old underlines that he still has plenty to offer. And with Llorente a more all round striker than Roofe in being able to hold the ball up as well as provide a greater aerial threat, he’d add another dimension to Leeds’ attacking ranks, at the same time strengthening a squad which could struggle with the demands of the Championship as the season wears on.
In fact, Llorente’s addition would give Leeds exactly what they need in terms of goals, contributions, and experience to return to the top-flight, with the £4 million price-tag all that is standing between them and promotion to the Premier League.
Leeds fans… what do you think? Let us know!