Mauricio Pochettino has denied suggestions that Fernando Llorente has asked to leave Tottenham Hotspur in January or next summer. Leeds United, Real Betis and Athletic Bilbao have been linked with his signature, but there’s been no update on their initial interest.
The Spanish international has been short of playing time since his move from Swansea City, having remained second fiddle to Harry Kane in attack. The lack of minutes under Pochettino reportedly led Llorente to consider his future with the Londoners.
He recently talked up a return to Spain in an interview with Cadena Ser, but Pochettino said he’s not been made aware of any desire to leave. With Tottenham not expected to make an permanent signing in January, it’s hard to see a move for Llorente being sanctioned in January. He’s out of contract next summer and will surely run his deal down before leaving on a free transfer.
Pochettino said to Football.London: “Still we didn’t talk, I promise you. We’ll see the priority of the player, the priority of the club. But I think still we have a few weeks and then we’ll see what happens and it’s sure we’re going to try to take the best decision for the player of course but for the club too. No, we didn’t talk. At the moment I didn’t talk with no-one about that, about nothing.”
Llorente has made just seven appearances in all competitions for Spurs this season, spending the majority of the campaign either on the bench or out of the matchday squad. He won’t be short of offers when the winter transfer window opens, but Tottenham would be forced to sign a replacement if they allowed him to leave.