Leeds United: Diego Llorente ‘perfectly integrated’ at Roma – Jose Mourinho
Diego Llorente is “perfectly integrated” as a Roma player according to Jose Mourinho with his Leeds United future still up in the air.
The Spanish defender is in line to feature for the Serie A side as they look to overturn a first leg deficit in their Europa League tie with Feyenoord, having broken into the side belatedly and performed well, and is “on the right track” to have his deal made permanent according to AS.
His £18million permanent redemption clause is considered too steep for the Giallorossi but the two-time Champions league winning manager sounds convinced by the 29-year-old’s place in the squad now and has suggested further opportunities before the season’s end.
Ahead of the second leg against Feyenoord on Thursday night (20 April) the Special One said, as per Gazzetta dello Sport: “Llorente… needed to play… because he needed to learn how to play with us, despite being someone who already has a lot of experience at high levels.
“Now he seems perfectly integrated to me… In the end, there are nine games left which could become 11 or 12. There are many, it’s impossible for the same players to always play”.
Deal to be done
It would be a major disappointment on all sides if an agreement wasn’t now reached at the conclusion of the season, with Llorente having proven himself a useful tool for Mourinho.
He never fully reached that level at Elland Road and Leeds United have enough ineffective defenders currently in the first team without bringing back another who has struggled in the Premier League.
Recouping the full fee paid to Real Sociedad in 2020 always seemed too good to be true, but depending on what Roma would be willing to offer even half that amount would possibly get a handshake.
It was some turn up for the Spaniard to go from the bench at the relegation-threatened Whites to pushing for Champions League qualification and the latter stages of the Europa League in the Italian capital.
But it appears to be working out despite a slow start so good for him, and if Leeds United can get some return on a player whose prospects were diminishing in Yorkshire then all the better.
Victory against the Eredivisie side would help extend the Roma season and the chances of Llorente getting more games, so the pressure is on at the Stadio Olimpico on Thursday night.
In other Leeds United news, a finance expert believes Radrizzani has finished as an investor in the club ahead of his presumed £450million windfall.