Roma want Leeds United discount to sign Diego Llorente permanently
Roma want to negotiate a discount with Leeds United to sign Diego Llorente on a permanent basis from them this summer, according to Gazzetta Dello Sport.
The Italian newspaper reported on Saturday (22 April) that Roma paid an initial £450,000 fee to sign Llorente, 29, on loan from Leeds in January with a £16million option-to-buy clause tied into the deal.
It is understood that is an “expensive” fee for Roma to pay and they will seek to lower that figure in talks with Leeds, which are yet to take place.
Tables have turned
It didn’t seem as though Roma would have been signing Llorente as he struggled for game-time under Jose Mourinho initially.
However, after a 1-0 defeat to Lazio on 19 March, Mourinho has started Llorente in three out of three Serie A matches that have yielded nine points and three clean sheets.
Llorente’s been pivotal in that run.
Roma have a tough match against Atalanta on Monday (24 April) in their next game and ahead of that, it’s emerging from Gazzetta Dello Sport that Roma are keen on a permanent deal for Llorente.
You cannot blame them for not wanting to pay £16million for the Spanish centre-back because he’s not worth that much and if Leeds get relegated this season, our Championship status would mean we’ll have less of a leg to stand on in negotiations.
Gazzetta claims that Mourinho has now chosen Llorente over Roger Ibanez because of his “disaster” in that defeat to bitter rivals Lazio last month. Chris Smalling’s injury at Stadio Olimpico has also played into Llorente’s hands amid a surprise U-turn in the Italian capital.
Leeds should definitely cash in on the Spaniard but they’ll no doubt want Roma to stick as close to that £16million agreement as possible.
In other Leeds United news, BT Sport have shared previously unseen footage of a “surprise” controversy in the defeat at Fulham.