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Fernando Llorente

Don_Felipe

Well-Known Member
Feb 8, 2004
2,294
3,918
It might be against Levy's usual transfer policy - but even if we never sell him we'll lose less money on him than we will on Sissoko...
 

spursfan77

Well-Known Member
Aug 13, 2005
46,680
104,957
If the benteke links were laughed at, surely so would llorente? He's just a big target man too.
 

Kuryakin

Well-Known Member
Aug 31, 2012
928
2,396
If the benteke links were laughed at, surely so would llorente? He's just a big target man too.

Is that a bad thing though? Could be good when we face off against teams like WBA, Burnley, Stoke etc in the last minutes of the game. It's not the striker I want, but I wouldn't have any problem with him going to us.
 

Cyspurs

Well-Known Member
Aug 27, 2010
491
978
Would rather keep Janssen. End of.

Or even bring back Soldado!! At least he is a yid!
 

Kiedis

Well-Known Member
Aug 4, 2013
2,926
8,490
Llorente probably had his best spell of his career under Bielsa at Athletic Bilbao. That was some years ago though, so he's probably not as up to the pressing game as he was then.
 

Maxtremist

Well-Known Member
Jun 11, 2014
1,530
3,300
This is gonna be a long day...

The only reason I kinda want this to happen is cause it seems like it'd really annoy Conte.
 

DEFchenkOE

Well-Known Member
Feb 13, 2006
10,527
8,052
Not a signing that really inspires me at this stage of his career but he's better than Janssen so id take him.
 

bubble07

Well-Known Member
Dec 27, 2004
22,959
29,896
Problem is saying he is better then janssen shouldnt be the barometer
 

shoggy33

Well-Known Member
Feb 25, 2007
1,354
4,538
If we are planning on cutting our losses with Janssen I can think of worse players to replace him with in the short term. Would also offer that plan B we all know we are missing when we are chasing a goal
 

Larryjanta

Well-Known Member
Apr 22, 2014
1,953
5,040
I wrote back in March on the Summer Transfer Wish List thread that we should make Llorente a target this summer. I've followed his career a long time and there are specific reasons why I suspect Pochettino wants him.

#1: He is one of the most dominant aerial threats in the opposition box of any player of the last decade. Last season, per Squawka's stat metrics, he scored 8 headed goals in league play. 6 of his goals were from set pieces (3 from corners and 3 from free kicks, though several of them were not headers, but scrambles where he put himself in a position to score). By comparison, Kane only scored 2 headed goals. There are very few teams in Europe that earn as many set pieces as Spurs. In our first three league games, we've had a total of 31 corners, and if I'm not mistaken, zero headed attempts directed at target (might be wrong on that, but I can't recall any that really tested the keeper). There have been another 5 or so direct free kicks in dangerous areas in the first three games that also would have been prime opportunities for an aerial threat like Llorente to test the keeper. Having him as an option late in matches when you're chasing a win at 0-0 could end up being the difference between finishing second and winning the title.

#2: He is an exceptionally experienced professional, who also has won major trophies throughout the continent. World Cup Winner, Euros winner, Serie A title winner, numerous cup final appearances in Spain and Italy. Having someone with his pedigree can add a lot to a squad on the younger side looking to contend with high pressure competitions like the Champions League. He will help Harry Kane's game develop. He also has really good character and plays with a lot of passion. There aren't many players with careers like his that would have embraced the grind of a relegation fight the way he did at Swansea last season.

#3: He has played for Marcelo Bielsa, so knows what it will take to play in a high pressing system. Llorente's best season as a professional was 2011-2012 at Bilbao in Bielsa's first season, where they went on a magical run to the Europa League final and the Copa Del Rey final (Llorente scored 29 goals in all competitions that season). Contrary to some perception that he is just a lumbering forward, he actually is very technically gifted, is two-footed (great ball striking with both feet), can hold the ball up well and links up play well, too. There's a reason Antonio Conte, who is one of the smartest managers in world football when it comes to recruitment and setting up a squad, has wanted to sign Llorente since last January and by some accounts, is willing to let Batshuayi go out on loan if Llorente ends up at Chelsea. He's still a really good player.

#4: Pochettino knows him well and admires him. Here's an old article (in Spanish) from early on in Poch's tenure at Espanyol when he praised both Bilabo and Llorente (https://futbol.as.com/futbol/2010/12/11/mas_futbol/1292022008_850215.html). Llorente scored multiple times against the Espanyol side Poch managed, and Poch actually played against Llorente when the current Barcelona coach, Ernesto Valverde, started Llorente as a 20-year old for Bilbao against an Espanyol side that Poch was the starting CB for back in 2005.

If we sign him tomorrow, he will have the same influence that Davids and Parker had on past squads. The fact we are going for him indicates that there has been a paradigm shift at the club and Pochettino is now running the show when it comes to transfer market activity. We already had evidence of this with the deals for Foyth, Sanchez and Aurier, but a move for Llorente is one of a manager who never wants to be humiliated in the Champions League again and has the ambition to win right now at his current club, not ten years down the road.

You absolute bastard, now I'm desperate for him.

A little loan swap with Janssen would be ideal for us but can't see what they gain from it
 

ButchCassidy

Well-Known Member
Jul 12, 2012
3,986
15,843
I wrote back in March on the Summer Transfer Wish List thread that we should make Llorente a target this summer. I've followed his career a long time and there are specific reasons why I suspect Pochettino wants him.

#1: He is one of the most dominant aerial threats in the opposition box of any player of the last decade. Last season, per Squawka's stat metrics, he scored 8 headed goals in league play. 6 of his goals were from set pieces (3 from corners and 3 from free kicks, though several of them were not headers, but scrambles where he put himself in a position to score). By comparison, Kane only scored 2 headed goals. There are very few teams in Europe that earn as many set pieces as Spurs. In our first three league games, we've had a total of 31 corners, and if I'm not mistaken, zero headed attempts directed at target (might be wrong on that, but I can't recall any that really tested the keeper). There have been another 5 or so direct free kicks in dangerous areas in the first three games that also would have been prime opportunities for an aerial threat like Llorente to test the keeper. Having him as an option late in matches when you're chasing a win at 0-0 could end up being the difference between finishing second and winning the title.

#2: He is an exceptionally experienced professional, who also has won major trophies throughout the continent. World Cup Winner, Euros winner, Serie A title winner, numerous cup final appearances in Spain and Italy. Having someone with his pedigree can add a lot to a squad on the younger side looking to contend with high pressure competitions like the Champions League. He will help Harry Kane's game develop. He also has really good character and plays with a lot of passion. There aren't many players with careers like his that would have embraced the grind of a relegation fight the way he did at Swansea last season.

#3: He has played for Marcelo Bielsa, so knows what it will take to play in a high pressing system. Llorente's best season as a professional was 2011-2012 at Bilbao in Bielsa's first season, where they went on a magical run to the Europa League final and the Copa Del Rey final (Llorente scored 29 goals in all competitions that season). Contrary to some perception that he is just a lumbering forward, he actually is very technically gifted, is two-footed (great ball striking with both feet), can hold the ball up well and links up play well, too. There's a reason Antonio Conte, who is one of the smartest managers in world football when it comes to recruitment and setting up a squad, has wanted to sign Llorente since last January and by some accounts, is willing to let Batshuayi go out on loan if Llorente ends up at Chelsea. He's still a really good player.

#4: Pochettino knows him well and admires him. Here's an old article (in Spanish) from early on in Poch's tenure at Espanyol when he praised both Bilabo and Llorente (https://futbol.as.com/futbol/2010/12/11/mas_futbol/1292022008_850215.html). Llorente scored multiple times against the Espanyol side Poch managed, and Poch actually played against Llorente when the current Barcelona coach, Ernesto Valverde, started Llorente as a 20-year old for Bilbao against an Espanyol side that Poch was the starting CB for back in 2005.

If we sign him tomorrow, he will have the same influence that Davids and Parker had on past squads. The fact we are going for him indicates that there has been a paradigm shift at the club and Pochettino is now running the show when it comes to transfer market activity. We already had evidence of this with the deals for Foyth, Sanchez and Aurier, but a move for Llorente is one of a manager who never wants to be humiliated in the Champions League again and has the ambition to win right now at his current club, not ten years down the road.
Didn't walk into this thread expecting to be really excited about signing an old man from Swansea, but I am now! Thanks for the info (y)
 

glospur

Well-Known Member
May 19, 2015
2,608
9,806
This would be a smart buy imo. He's experienced and a goal scorer but he also knows he won't be playing every week and wont kick up a fuss about it.
 

synththfc

Well-Known Member
Aug 24, 2017
3,740
26,716
The only plus about signing Llorente for me is that it would make Conte lose his SECOND head of hair

On that note, get him in ASAP
 

ButchCassidy

Well-Known Member
Jul 12, 2012
3,986
15,843
The fact that Chelsea want him actually make me believe this more - I think Daniel may be quicker to throw in the little extra needed to get this over the line if he feels like he mugged off those ****s...
 
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