Manchester United could reportedly plot a late Bosman move for former Tottenham star Fernando Llorente, who is now a free agent.
According to Italian transfer expert Gianluca Di Marzio, Manchester United are considering an interesting late move to bolster their attack. The Red Devils are weighing up a Bosman move for Fernando Llorente, who last played for Premier League rivals Tottenham.
Llorente had been one of the most underrated strikers playing in Spain during his time at Athletic Bilbao. But, since ending his nine-year stint with the Basque club, the veteran striker has become a journeyman of sorts, having spent two years at Juventus and a season apiece with Sevilla and Swansea City before joining Tottenham in the summer of 2017.
At the North London club, the 34-year-old struggled for minutes, with Harry Kane being the first-choice striker. And, even in the scenarios when Kane was not available, there were other players who were preferred over him, leaving Llorente to be a mere emergency option for Tottenham.
With his contract expiring this summer, Tottenham chose not to renew his terms, meaning the Spaniard is now a free agent. But, there seems to be no shortage of interest in Llorente, with a number of clubs, particularly from Italy, showing an interest in him. And, the latest club in his pursuit are Manchester United.
There might have been a snag in the reported departure of Romelu Lukaku, whose swap deal, that included Paulo Dybala, has collapsed due to factors involving the Argentine. But, Manchester United remain in a precarious situation with respect to the future of Lukaku.
As a result, the Red Devils have been in the market for a replacement for the Belgian, as has been the case all summer long. In recent weeks, Juventus star Mario Mandzukic was briefly linked as a possible target before the links went cold.
The latest claims come from France, with suggestions that Manchester United have submitted an offer for Moussa Dembele. But, it looks like former Tottenham man Llorente could be viewed as an option too. The links with Llorente though, do not make much sense.
Talk of former #THFC striker Fernando Llorente heading to #MUFC is understood to have come as a surprise to those behind the scenes at Old Trafford. Remains to be seen how Lukaku-Dybala swap collapse impacts any move for Juventus’ Mario Mandzukic
— Simon Peach (@SimonPeach) August 7, 2019
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer prefers an intense style of play, wherein Llorente does not necessarily fit in. But, if signed, the Spaniard could be the target man that offers United a healthy alternative for a style of play. Another benefit of keeping Llorente as a target is the fact that he can be signed even post the August 8 British transfer deadline, seeing as he is a free agent.
But, as per the latest developments, Manchester United themselves are surprised with the links with the former Tottenham star, and it looks unlikely that they will sign him this summer.
