Diego Llorente struggles to settle at Roma ahead of big-money Leeds United permanent exit
Leeds United’s on-loan defender Diego Llorente has struggled to settle into Jose Mourinho’s team at AS Roma ahead of his big-money permanent move from Elland Road, according to Eldesmarque.
The Spanish defender left Elland Road late in the January transfer window with an option to buy him permanently for £18m included in the deal [Daily Mail, 31 January].
However, the 29-year-old has struggled to establish himself in the team and his first start for Roma against his former club Real Sociedad [9 March] only lasted just 45 minutes with the defender having to leave the field at half-time after suffering from an adductor issue.
And Spanish outlet Eldesmarque reveals that the defender “has not fitted very well into the Portuguese scheme”, with the match against Sociedad his first start for the Giallorossi – well over a month after joining.
Unlikely
The unexpected chance to move on Llorente and likely net a significant profit at the same time was arguably the most impressive move of the January transfer window.
However, over a month from that deal and things haven’t really gone according to plan with the Spaniard struggling to establish himself in Mourinho’s team and make an impression.
It was supposed to be the centre-back’s chance at a new lease of life having fallen down the pecking order at Elland Road under Jesse Marsch, but now it seems incredibly unlikely that Roma will activate that purchase option.
£18m is a lot of money, and for a player who’s consistently injured, the Whites’ dream of recouping such a healthy sum has certainly disintegrated. It is potentially a huge blow for the club, more than it is for Llorente himself.
In other Leeds United news, the £500million 49ers takeover is now “hanging by a thread” despite a date ready for the deal to be rubber stamped.
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