As per a report from The Sun, EFL Championship outfit Leeds United are plotting a shock swoop for Tottenham Hotspur striker Fernando Llorente in the January transfer window.
The Spanish striker is keen on leaving the North London outfit, having struggled for game time under Mauricio Pochettino. And the club are open to letting him leave in the winter transfer window for around £4million, rather than losing him for a free transfer at the end of the season when his contract runs out. (h/t The Sun)
Should Leeds pounce on the opportunity to land the seasoned campaigner in the upcoming window?
The Whites have started the season strongly under new manager Marcelo Bielsa. They currently sit third in the Championship standings, just three points off leaders Norwich City. There have been small hiccups along the way but the Yorkshire-based outfit is in a good position to mount a promotion campaign.
However, it goes without saying that they could do with some additions to the ranks over the January transfer window. One area that needs reinforcing is the centre-forward position.
Leeds have scored 31 goals in 18 games in the Championship, which is the third-best goal tally behind West Bromwich Albion (39) and Norwich City (32). Kemar Roofe has done exceptionally well as the striker in Bielsa’s setup while there has been good support from the likes of Pablo Hernandez and Mateusz Klich.
However, the injury to summer signing Patrick Bamford has left the Yorkshire-based outfit a bit short-handed in the attack. While Tyler Roberts has done well, he doesn’t look cut out to be the leading man of the team week in week out. And amid reports of interest in Roofe’s services from Premier League clubs (h/t Leeds Live), Bielsa and Leeds would be better off bringing in another centre-forward in the upcoming transfer window.
And although Llorente might not be the most prolific goalscorer around, he certainly has what it takes to make a short-term impact at Elland Road. The 33-year-old has made just six appearances in the ongoing campaign for Spurs, scoring and assisting a goal apiece but if given regular game time, his quality will shine through.
The Spaniard has plenty of experience in England, having made 72 appearances with Swansea City and Tottenham Hotspur since the summer of 2016, bagging 21 goals and registering three assists.
Moreover, Llorente played some of his best football under Bielsa during the pair’s time at Athletic Bilbao. Under the current Leeds manager, Llorente featured 89 times for the Basque club and netted 34 times while setting up eight more. He was an integral part of the Bilbao side that reached the UEFA Europa League final in the 2011/12 season, beating the likes of Manchester United along the way.
Read More: Leeds will surely rue the missed opportunity to sign this 33-year-old veteran in January
Llorente’s natural poacher’s instincts and physical presence in and around the box will add an alternate dimension to the Whites’ forward line. Against defensive opponents, Bielsa could use the Spaniard as a battering ram to break them down.
The Spaniard will, in no terms, be a long-term solution. However, signing him would certainly help Leeds in their battle for promotion in the second half of the season.
