Leeds United transfer news as £4.3m permanent Diego Llorente emerges
Roma could be able to sign Diego Llorente permanently from Leeds United for a figure close to £4.3million this summer, according to Roma Metropolitan.
The Italian outlet reported on its website on Wednesday (20 December) that the Italian giants want to strengthen in defence, including making Llorente’s stay in Rome permanent in a move that would cost just over £4million [€5 million].
That permanent move would become even more likely if Leeds are unable to win promotion back to the Premier League this season, with the Whites currently sitting 10 points away from the automatic promotion places in the Championship.
Llorente has been a regular for Roma during his loan spell so far this season, appearing in 14 of their 16 Serie A games so far. Phil Hay has previously reported that it is highly likely the Spanish defender would depart Elland Road permanently at some point this season, given his £6million-a-year wages [The Square Ball, 9 September].
Get him gone
It has seemed rather clear for some time that Llorente doesn’t have much of a permanent future at Elland Road beyond the end of his loan spell with Roma and Leeds United should accept whatever fee arrives at their door for the defender.
The 30-year-old has a contract with the Whites until the summer of 2026, so they will hope to receive a decent fee for him at the end of the season but they must ensure that they can get him enormous wages off of their books sooner rather than later.
Leeds paid £18million for the Spanish international in 2020 [BBC Sport] and would have hoped to receive much more than the reported £4.3million they could be set to earn at the end of the season. But the Whites’ relegation has changed so many player’s values at Elland Road.
Daniel Farke has built an incredibly strong defence since arriving at Elland Road with the likes of Joe Rodon and Pascal Struijk. The German would be better off allowing Llorente to depart to put that money towards a permanent move for Rodon.
In other Leeds United news, an open industry secret has emerged involving the Whites following Steve Cooper’s sacking at Nottingham Forest