Fernando Llorente looks certain to leave Tottenham in the summer transfer window and Valencia are among the clubs in the hunt to sign the Spanish forward, according to the Daily Mail.
The newspaper claims that Spurs have missed the deadline to extend Llorente’s deal by another 12 months and that means that he is heading towards a free transfer away from North London after the Champions League final on June 1.
It is understood that Mauricio Pochettino wants to reshape his squad in the summer and it seems as though the 34-year-old striker has no part in the Spurs boss’ plans.
As well as billionaire-owned [SCMP] Valencia, AC Milan, Roma and Marseille are also said to be interested in signing Llorente.
Good move for Tottenham?
It will be a shame to see Llorente leave Spurs after playing such a crucial role in helping the club reach the Champions League final, where they will play against Liverpool in Madrid on June 1.
The ex-Juventus striker scored in the quarter-final win against Manchester City and made a massive impact when coming off the bench against Ajax in the second leg of the semi-finals.
However it is totally understandable to see why Pochettino does not have a spot for him in his plans next season.
On the whole, Llorente’s time in North London hasn’t been great with him scoring just 13 goals in 65 appearances across all competitions.
This is Futbol rating 7/10
Likely to happen?
It was always on the cards that Llorente would leave Tottenham in the summer, but his form in the Champions League might have changed some of the decision-making by Pochettino and Daniel Levy.
However that does not seem to be the case and unless there is a U-turn – or a hat-trick against Liverpool in Madrid – then it’s safe to say that the Spanish veteran will more than likely leave Spurs in the summer.
This is Futbol rating 9.5/10