According to a recent report from The Sun, Fernando Llorente could be set for a move away in January. The Spaniard currently plays his football at Premier League outfit Tottenham and has done so since leaving Swansea City in the summer of 2017, but struggles for regular first team football under Mauricio Pochettino has left his future at the North London club far from certain.
And reports suggest that Marcelo Bielsa’s Leeds United are interested in a move for the 33-year-old, as should Everton manager Marco Silva, as a ‘cut-price £4 million’ January deal for the striker, given the Toffees’ need for an out-and-out number nine, could prove to be the bargain of the season.
The Breakdown
Ultimately, the striking ranks have been something of a problem area at Goodison Park for a while now, what with former boss Sam Allardyce splashing out big money to lure Cenk Tosun from Besiktas in January in a bid to fill that void.
Yet the Turkey international, alongside the likes of Oumar Niasse and Dominic Calvert-Lewin, simply hasn’t done enough to convince Silva of his capabilities in the main striker’s role, to the point that the 41-year-old has utilised summer signing Richarlison as a number nine in recent matches.
And while that experiment has worked so far, one can’t help but feel that an out-and-out number nine, someone who can play to the strengths of the likes of Richarlison, Bernard, Theo Walcott, and Gylfi Sigurdsson, would hugely benefit the Toffees – Llorente is that man.
Yes, the Spain international is 33 now and possibly past his absolute best, but it was little over 12 months ago in which he netted 15 goals in just 33 Premier League games for Swansea, with he and Sigurdsson single-handedly keeping the Swans in the top-flight – it’s no coincidence that they went down the season after selling the duo.
And while things haven’t quite worked out for Llorente at Tottenham, the fact Pochettino does still call upon him to affect things off the bench suggests that he still has that ability in the top-flight – and regular football at Everton could get the best out of him once again.
The ex-Sevilla and Juventus man is very strong aerially, which can only be good news for wide men Richarlison, Walcott, and Bernard, while he also makes intelligent runs in behind opposition defences, thus giving Sigurdsson something to aim at with his great eye for a pass – after all, he and Sigurdsson combined brilliantly for Swansea in the 2016/17 season.
And for just £4 million, Everton have almost nothing to lose from such deal, but they could gain a huge amount given Llorente, even at the age of 33, could prove to be the answer to their striking woes – it would be an absolute steal.
As such, with the Spaniard seemingly available for a lowly figure, the Toffees should seek to make a January move – a move which could turn out to be the bargain of the season.
Everton fans… what do you think? Let us know!
