Leeds United centre-back Diego Llorente could be out for up to a month after his latest hamstring injury.
The news was relayed by Athletic journalist Phil Hay on Friday and it’s left plenty of Leeds fans fuming.
You can understand why. Llorente cost £18m in the summer but has never recovered from an injury he suffered during an early international break.
As soon as he returned from that he broke down with a hamstring issue and that came back to haunt the Leeds centre-back on Tuesday night.
He only lasted 10 minutes in that game and he’s not going to be seen in a first-team shirt again until March now, at the earliest.
Diego Llorente looking at three to four weeks out with his latest hamstring issue. Bielsa: "We're all trying to help him and support him through this injury."
Knocks in the camp ahead of Leicester but nothing serious, Bielsa says.
— Phil Hay (@PhilHay_) January 29, 2021
It’s double bad luck for Leeds as Robin Koch is also out for the same period of time.
Hay confirmed that he would be due back around the same time – at the end of February/beginning of March.
It means a month with either a shuffled backline or Pascal Struijk playing alongside Liam Cooper.
Another injury to either of those two would really cause trouble.
Some Leeds fans reacted fairly harshly towards Llorente but they should remember that his first injury happened when he was with Spain.
We’ve got our own opinions on friendly internationals this season, with players already putting up with congested fixtures and a hard-stop of the Euros next summer.
Here is a selection of the reactions from Leeds fans…
How did he pass a medical 🤦♂️ https://t.co/PcUPmlTXX3
— John Paul Redmond (@john_lufc1919) January 29, 2021
— Scott (@scott3287) January 29, 2021
https://t.co/8mrasn7nTj pic.twitter.com/XsJekK7cC9
— 💛💙TJ Raaj💛💙 (@raajest) January 29, 2021
He looks like he’s made of biscuit???? Can’t get a run of games n constantly injured 🤷🏼♂️🤷🏼♂️🤷🏼♂️🙌🏻 seams like we have bought a lemon Phil ?????
— nathan bird (@123nathb1) January 29, 2021
The season is half over , be lucky if he plays much at all. Should have picked up another defender in the window. Big risk.
— Kama51 (@Kama515) January 29, 2021
£18m for a bloke who’s played 2 prem games🤦♂️ between him and JKA (if Liepzig are successful) we could’ve blown best part of £40m between them 😭
— James (@james_frudd) January 29, 2021
Unfortunately doubt very much we will see much of him in a Leeds shirt !
— Shelljane 🏆 (@ShelljaneLUFC) January 29, 2021
Unbelievable
— CM (@ChrisMoulds01) January 29, 2021
— El Gaetano of Thorp Arch (@ipshwitsh) January 29, 2021
— premier ed🏆 (@_ed19) January 29, 2021
Feel so bad for him
— Joey (@lufcjoey) January 29, 2021
In other Leeds United news, ‘Difference this time… Vardy is out’ – Lawrenson predicts winner in Leeds clash v Leicester
