A Swan to a Lilywhite: Llorente set to join Spurs as Chelsea are snubbed again

Is everyone trying to avoid Antonio Conte this up-and-coming season? Following the Hammer’s treatment of Diego Costa, you can hardly blame players.

Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain was first to avoid joining the Premier League champions, and now Fernando Llorente looks set to follow suit as the Swan snubs Chelsea for Tottenham.

Tottenham’s bid for Swansea striker, Fernando Llorente, has been accepted, per @BBCSport pic.twitter.com/rcrGTFKYS5

— B/R Football (@brfootball) August 31, 2017

The Spaniard’s first season in England helped keep Swansea up – despite Gylfi Sigurðsson’s taking all the plaudits – as the former Bilbao striker bagged 15 goals in 33 games.

The 32-year-old is currently sidelined following his best efforts to replicate Chris Froome over the summer as the Swansea man broke his arm on a cycling holiday. However, the striker’s back in training in Wales and could be fit to start after the international break.

The arrival of Llorente will provide extra support for Harry Kane, based on the assumption that the Englishman swaps his old shooting boots for Danny Welbeck’s he’s currently got on; and, with Llorente set for north London, it looks to put an abrupt end to Vincent Janssen’s time in the capital as the Dutchman will be free to leave following a miserable time under Mauricio Pochettino.

With Llorente now a target, Janssen could leave Tottenham today https://t.co/QzpDR0NQGL

— John Cross (@johncrossmirror) August 31, 2017

If Llorente signs for Spurs, the £15-million signing will signal another embarrassment for Chelsea. The Blues were initial favourites for the Spaniard’s signature because of Conte’s close relationship with the striker, but the pair’s time at Juventus appears not enough to convince the 32-year-old to come to Stamford Bridge.

It will be a great recruit for Daniel Levy, and a top striker who can sufficiently support Kane this season, rather than Poch having to rely on the likes of Janssen who seemed to be stuck in Harry-Kane-August mode the whole of last season.