Leeds United defender Diego Llorente could find himself in a Paris Saint-Germain kit by the start of next season, according to the latest reports.
With the Spaniard currently on loan at AS Roma, it looks like all parties could be willing to cut the deal short, but only if the Italian club can find an adequate replacement.
With the French giants failing to materialise a move for Llorente in the January window, the interest was evident from all parties. However, with a fresh new update from Roma Metropolitan Magazine, the Spanish defender could now be the subject of a transfer to the French capital worth between €10-12 million (£8.5-10.3 million).
Leeds United signed Llorente from Real Sociedad in September 2020 on a four-year deal for a reported £18 million. The original agreement between the West Yorkshire side and the Giallorossi was that the centre-back would extend his loan with Roma until June, then be bought out for around £4.3 million.
In his loan spell, Llorente has mostly impressed in 22 Serie A appearances for the side this season, who look to bounce back after the departure of Jose Mourinho and currently sit in sixth place under the guidance of Daniele De Rossi.
Since Llorente has played a high volume of matches for the Giallorossi so far this season, without the right replacement, the Italian giants have the freedom to pull the deal completely and stick with the original agreement.
With a potential total of eight permanent departures by the end of this season, the Whites could see another asset slip through their fingers while failing to make a profit. However, to soften the blow, the signing of Ethan Ampadu from Chelsea in the summer has proved to be a success for a relatively similar fee of around £7 million.
Writer’s View
With FFP being clamped down on in the English top flight, Leeds United have had to sell a lot of their assets to retain adequate funds in preparation for a return to the Premier League. However, the West Yorkshire outfit could be looking at a loss of roughly £14 million. Despite not seeming like a huge fee on the surface, this whole saga alone will leave the club’s financiers disappointed.
This will be a fantastic opportunity for the Spanish defender to improve his reputation in Europe; the pull of silverware and Champions League football is surely too tempting.
