Diego Llorente triggers Leeds United loan deal clause with cash windfall on the cards
Diego Llorente will leave Leeds United on a permanent basis having triggered an obligation to buy in his Roma loan deal, Il Messaggero reports.
According to the outlet’s website on 10 May the Spaniard will cost the Serie A side €5million [£4.29m] having played 50% of the games during his second season in the Italian capital.
However, the 30-year-old may then be loaned straight back out to a third club as Daniele De Rossi looks to overhaul the side he took over from Jose Mourinho earlier this term.
Llorente rejoined Roma last summer having spent the second half of the previous campaign there, and has made 41 total appearances this season.
Leeds United exit sealed ahead of transfer window?
Llorente was expected to leave permanently at the end of his first loan to Roma but didn’t, although he has been regularly involved this term and an obligation was thought to be in place as his exit last summer was agreed so it looks like at the second attempt it will go ahead.
If his departure is settled then it should be beneficial to the club’s financial situation given CEO Angus Kinnear previously told the Square Ball (7 September) that the defender was being paid £6m at Elland Road – equivalent to around £115,000-per-week.
Having dropped into the play-offs thanks to a disastrous collapse in form at the end of a largely-excellent season the club face the prospect of missing out on an immediate return to the Premier League and a need to cut costs for a prolonged stay in the second tier.
Shifting Llorente’s large salary and receiving a moderate transfer fee for a player who has long-since looked like he had no future at Leeds United is therefore the right outcome from a Whites perspective.
But with the likes of Rasmus Kristensen on his way back there will be decisions that still need to be made on players who chose, rightly or wrongly, to depart following relegation only for their loans not to work out as hoped.
Daniel Farke will be in a much easier position all round if he can navigate Leeds United back to the top flight from here, but he will have to reverse the club’s unhappy history in the play offs to do so.
In other Leeds United news, Phil Hay is certain a mooted high-profile Whites signing will be in the headlines this summer.
For more Leeds news, follow us on Facebook or join our brand new WhatsApp Channel for instant updates to be sent straight to your phone.