Diego Llorente tells Leeds United transfer decision, agreement made
Leeds United defender Diego Llorente has told the club he wants to return to Roma this summer with a £4.23million fee agreed, according to Roma News.
The Italian club news site reported that a “gentleman’s agreement” had been struck between the two clubs last summer for the Spaniard to make a permanent move to Rome this time around [Gianluca DiMarzio].
Llorente is still in line to return to Elland Road at the end of June, but that £4.23million agreement between the Whites and Roma could see him heading back out to Italy within days.
The centre-back initially made a loan switch to the Stadio Olimpico in January 2023 prior to the Peacocks’ relegation from the Premier League, and remained at Roma during last season’s Championship campaign.
However, the situation might not be cut and dry with Roma said to be assessing their centre-back options, leaving the deal at at a standstill (Corriere dello Sport, 18 June).
Leeds United will be keen to secure Diego Llorente transfer
Every penny counts at Elland Road this summer following Leeds’ failure to make an immediate Premier League return, and thus the sales of players unwanted by Daniel Farke will be welcome [Kieran Maguire].
Farke has never stated that Llorente is not in his future plans, but it’s likely that he’s not even had the chance to meet the 30-year-old in person, given Llorente’s been a Roma player since early 2023.
Of the loanees who forced their way out of LS11 following relegation to the Championship, Llorente’s move was arguably the least surprising, having been a fixture of the Roma squad during his first spell.
Therefore, the Whites collecting a fee for a defender who hasn’t been part of their first-team setup for almost 18 months is a good move, even if it is much less than the £18million paid for Llorente in 2020.
Several big-name players who had key roles in the Peacocks’ promotion push last season have also been touted for the exit door, but if players like Llorente can be moved on for nominal fees as soon as possible, it will ease the financial burden on Leeds ahead of another summer of change [Corriere dello Sport].
In other Leeds news, the Whites have been handed a transfer boost in their pursuit of Alfie Gilchrist from Chelsea.
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