His tenure in Leeds has been dismal. A prominent European club is apparently poised to negotiate with Leeds United about signing a £44,000-per-week player this summer, hoping to obtain him on the cheap.
Leeds Transfer News
The Whites are preparing for two important Championship playoff matches with Norwich City as they aim to return to the Premier League as soon as possible. Daniel Farke’s team travels to Carrow Road on Sunday lunchtime before hosting the Canaries next Thursday evening.
What happens in both games, and maybe the playoff final at Wembley, will have a huge impact on Leeds’ transfer business this summer, in terms of both player quality and available finances.
Michy Batshuayi, a Fenerbahce striker, is expected to join the Whites in the coming months, with the Belgian having scored 15 goals in 77 Premier League games. There is also the possibility of a reunion with Kalvin Phillips, as the Englishman tries to put a stop to his horror period at Manchester City, as well as his loan term at West Ham.
Promotion to the first division could also be critical in terms of retaining key players, with Crysencio Summerville a tremendously prominent figure who is still linked with a move to Liverpool. A new news has come regarding another individual who may quit Ellland Road over the summer.
Leeds are likely to lose their £44,000-per-week ace for good.
According to SiamoLaRoma [via Sport Witness], Roma are interested in permanently signing Diego Llorente from Leeds, hoping to complete a cheap deal this summer. They hope to “pay a relatively low price” for him, believing that his lack of success at Leeds will put the Whites in a weak negotiation position.
The £44,000-a-week defender has spent the season on loan with the Serie A giants, impressing with 28 league games and a pass completion rate of 91.7%. He is regarded as “highly respected” by his peers and “appreciated” by manager Daniele De Rossi.
It appears that a permanent exit for Llorente this summer is the best outcome for all parties involved, though Leeds will undoubtedly be unhappy with the prospect of selling him for less than they want. He does, however, have two years remaining on his current Whites contract, so they should be able to ensure that Roma does not take them for a ride.
The 30-year-old is undeniably a talented player, with ten caps for Spain – Luis Enrique once declared he was “among the best” in his position for his country – but he appears to be content at Roma, and Leeds is not desperate to keep him.
Instead, it is a case of cashing in on Llorente and bringing in new faces during the summer transfer window, after which Farke hopes to have guided his club back into the Premier League.
