Tottenham Hotspur might have to address Fernando Llorente’s uncertain future after hearing his recent statements – “Juve is a difficult place to leave. I left the Vinovo training ground crying. It’s also true what David Trezeguet said: “It’s only when you leave Juventus that you realise what you had. I miss it like crazy and would love to return.” It’s a special club because, despite being an enormous club, it’s like a family inside.There is a fine image of Juventus here and I raise it even more: I always speak very highly of the Bianconeri and give them a good rep.”
Llorente arrived at the Spurs headquarters last summer for £15m after picking up a season of Premier League experience with Swansea City. The 32-year-old managed to net the ball 15 times in 32 appearances for the Swans last season but has been restricted to just 788 minutes of action under Mauricio Pochettino.
With Harry Kane as the leading man up top, Llorente was always expected to be fielded as a second option but after spending the last 7 months in the Englishman’s shadow, he will be pondering over a return to the Juventus Stadium. The nostalgia is about to hit again on Tuesday when Tottenham go up against the Bianconeri in the round of 16 Champions League fixture.
Llorente played 2 seasons with Juventus scoring the ball 27 times in 92 total appearances. He lost his starting spot to Mario Mandzukic and Gonzalo Higuain and had to find a different home in Sevilla. While he was hailed as a leading number nine in his previous clubs, Pochettino has struggled to provide him more than a rotational role. He is currently in the last stages of his footballing career and spending it on the benches is not ideal for the 24-time Spain international.
Juventus splashed a record fee for Higuain who has delivered 50 goals over the past couple of seasons. They are facing heavy competition from Napoli for their seventh consecutive Serie A title and Paulo Dybala’s injury is turning out to be a turning point at such a crucial juncture of the season.
Llorente stands at 6 feet 4 inches tall and brings a completely different dynamic to the centre-forward role. He is hard to overpower when on the ball and an impressive positional sense often earns him a goal or two in the late stages of the game. With Kane’s run of form with 32 goals this season, his future of regular appearances in a Tottenham shirt is bleak and maybe a move will have to be sanctioned if the striker feels unhappy after the season.
