Fernando Llorente

[brasil_spur]

Chelsea still might go in for him though if Falcao is unattainable.
Agree on City
Arsenal - possible and no/little transfer fee means they will meet wage demands
Liverpool - never rule them out, they are an odd team, still attract players due to heritage but current league position will certainly play against them and the fact that I don't think they have the money right now.

If Chelsea stay out of the picture then I think it could be between us and Arsenal (assuming EPL as destination).

Liverpool i think will not be paying the right wages, which makes it a potentially tricky one for us. Arsenal also seem to be under pressure to cap their wages and bought two strikers in the summer.

I think he has very limited options to be honest, which is why he hasn't been snapped up yet and we are in with as good a shout as anyone this window.

 

[Nocando]

Liverpool are after Sturridge and Ince. If they get them then they wont be getting Llorente.

 

[Riandor]

This could be a similar situation to Lloris in that we are the best option for someone like Llorente right now as most other EPL teams don't seem to be in the right place, whether financially or need for a striker.

UNLESS any of them are selling players.

I still think Chelsea are a dark horse threat though, with Torres still misfiring and no real back-up... and again, we are assuming EPL over any other European league.

 

[beats1]

This is all part of the sales process. Tell the world he's unavailable so that it drives the price up.

According to spanish press they wont sell this window as punishment to Llorente for not signing a extension

 

[Buster18]

According to spanish press they wont sell this window as punishment to Llorente for not signing a extension

Spanish clubs are skint. Knocking back circa £10m for spite isn't going to happen. They'll take the best offer on the table at the end of Jan.

 

[Riandor]

Spanish clubs are skint. Knocking back circa £10m for spite isn't going to happen. They'll take the best offer on the table at the end of Jan.

Yeah I agree, the stance as noble as it might be is an exercise in saving face. The reality is they cannot afford to let him rot in the reserves and allow him to leave on a free in 6 months time.

 

[beats1]

Spanish clubs are skint. Knocking back circa £10m for spite isn't going to happen. They'll take the best offer on the table at the end of Jan.

Yeah I agree, the stance as noble as it might be is an exercise in saving face. The reality is they cannot afford to let him rot in the reserves and allow him to leave on a free in 6 months time.

Yes 16 spanish clubs are in the shit hole but Bilbao iirc is not one of them and they just sold Martinez at the start of the season for €40million

 

[Riandor]

Yes 16 spanish clubs are in the shit hole but Bilbao iirc is not one of them and they just sold Martinez at the start of the season for €40million

Good point... but as that maybe, but I still cannot see them holding on to him when a bid is tabled.

 

[BillyWhizz]

Do we need another striker at the max end of our wage allowance? I appreciate it's worth looking at players like this when they are cut price but Defoe and Ade have played well enough so far. If we're buying another striker it should be a 3rd choice, but then we'll have Kane back soon enough.

We know we don't have much money, I can't see us splashing most of that on another striker when we don't have the real playmaker we need or any wing forwards.

 

[AngerManagement]

According to spanish press they wont sell this window as punishment to Llorente for not signing a extension

Punish him by paying his wages for now until the end of the season at which time he can walk out for free and they get nothing for him while he has all the power and is probably able to negotiate a better salary and signing on fee for himself

Boi, they're tough aren't they the clubs in Spain

If you ask me the only reason he won't be sold is if he himself wants to increase his options and deniability to bigger clubs by making himself a Bosman

 

[AngerManagement]

Do we need another striker at the max end of our wage allowance? I appreciate it's worth looking at players like this when they are cut price but Defoe and Ade have played well enough so far. If we're buying another striker it should be a 3rd choice, but then we'll have Kane back soon enough.

We know we don't have much money, I can't see us splashing most of that on another striker when we don't have the real playmaker we need or any wing forwards.

I think if we signed him perhaps Ade would play as a wide forward with Llorente through the middle, Ade has the link play and skill to perform this roll and a tendency to drift wide anyway

That being said it would put a lot of pressure on the midfielders to cover the full backs too, although if we had a CM trio of Sandro, Dembele and JM with Parker covering I guess we'd have the type of formidable midfield we need for that

Although I think both Llorente and JM are somewhat unlikely

 

[Marcus_spur]

But wasn´t there a decision about cases like this a while back? Can´t remember whethere it was a local decision or through UEFA or FIFA, but it was something about not being able to punish players for club politics by letting them rot.

 

[beats1]

Punish him by paying his wages for now until the end of the season at which time he can walk out for free and they get nothing for him while he has all the power and is probably able to negotiate a better salary and signing on fee for himself

Boi, they're tough aren't they the clubs in Spain

If you ask me the only reason he won't be sold is if he himself wants to increase his options and deniability to bigger clubs by making himself a Bosman

I agree but they arent playing him either and iirc he doesnt train at the club and he does have his own coaches on his payroll to keep him match fit, the club that signs him are signing a player who has not kicked a football in a football ground for one year

 

[TheAmerican]

But wasn´t there a decision about cases like this a while back? Can´t remember whethere it was a local decision or through UEFA or FIFA, but it was something about not being able to punish players for club politics by letting them rot.

It depends on the player's attitude, just look at Balotelli's situation, he lost his appeal with city and must kick them 340k.

 

[AngerManagement]

I agree but they arent playing him either and iirc he doesnt train at the club and he does have his own coaches on his payroll to keep him match fit, the club that signs him are signing a player who has not kicked a football in a football ground for one year

If they refuse him a move to punish him they will just be cutting their noses off to spite their face because as a free transfer he will still have more than enough suitors and he will not lose out as they will be paying his wages from now til the end of the season (perhaps he loses potential bonus money)

They will be the big losers as they won't receive a fee for their prized asset, they could probably raise £10m by selling him in Jan where as they would get naff all in the summer.

I honestly fail to see how it punishes him, where as I see very clearly how it would punish themselves.

If they do choose to do that then more fool them

 

[Marcus_spur]

Three words: Knife - nose - face.

 

[not_tenth-again]

Llorente.... we had our chance but wouldn't cough up the cash for him.... we even baulk at the next level down - Aubameyang and Yilmaz (still pissed we didn't stump up for either of these guys) last window. I see no signs of that changing... does anyone? seriously??!?

I'm entirely certain we can file Llorente and Damiao and for that matter Sneijder and Moutinho in the fantasy pipedream category.

5 people apparently.... well according to the neg ratings anyway.

Well I hope to be proved wrong but I just can't see it myself....

 

[Twizzle]

if you were Llorente, would you want to go to Liverpool ?

 

[ChristianBaler]

if you were Llorente, would you want to go to Liverpool ?

depends on two things

1. how often will he play
2. how much will they pay him

 

[Mouse!]

To those who have seen more of Llorente than I have; what will he be able to offer the team that Adebayor doesn't? I'd say he's a better finisher, but Ade better with the ball at his feet. Apart from that the two seem quite similar to me.

Llorente would be nice, but I don't think he's the type of striker we need ATM. If we are going to bring in a third striker I feel it should be a young player who offers both the finishing of Defoe and the physical presence of Adebayor so that they can play with both of them, or as a lone striker. A player like Damiao or Lewandowski. Then again Kane looks like he could develop into this type of player once he gets his man strength.