OPINION
Fernando Llorente would be a brilliant signing for Leeds United in January.
A proven goalscorer at the highest level, he is young enough and still good enough to run riot in the Championship and spearhead United to an automatic promotion spot.
The Sun claim the possibility of Llorente moving to Elland Road in the forthcoming transfer window is a very real possibility as Tottenham look to cash in on him rather than allow him to leave for free at the end of the season.
It is said that Leeds are eyeing a “shock deal” for the Spanish striker to link up again with Marcelo Bielsa, who managed him with great success when he was in charge at Athletic Bilbao.
Bielsa reportedly thinks Llorente can galvanise his team and shoot them all the way back to the Premier League after 14 years in the lower league doldrums.
Certainly, a winter exit from Spurs is inevitable for the 33-year-old, who has made just 11 starts in two seasons since his summer-of-2017 transfer from Swansea City.
Given Harry Kane’s pre-eminence and durability, it appears unlikely Llorente will remain anything other than a bit-part operator for the remainder of the campaign. Even when Kane has been absent in the past, Mauricio Pochettino has often preferred to use Son Heung-Min as the spearhead of the attack.
Yet Llorente demonstrated in the Champions League against PSV Eindhoven two weeks he still has plenty to offer at the highest level.
He came on with Spurs staring down the barrel of European elimination but helped his side earn a crucial 2-1 victory by providing the assist for Kane’s equalising first goal with a well-placed knock-down header.
At Leeds, Llorente would add a new dimension to an attack that has some fine young forwards in Kemar Roofe, Patrick Bamford and Tyler Roberts, but lacks a physical presence in a division where such players can thrive.
Bielsa and the United hierarchy would strike gold if they land such a top-class player.