Sport nationDiego Llorente Set to Return to Leeds United from Roma Loan
Leeds United’s attempts to offload players who left on loan last summer using Victor Orta’s relegation loan clause have hit a snag, as Diego Llorente is now expected to return to Elland Road. The 30-year-old Spanish center-back has spent the last 18 months on loan at AS Roma, making 54 appearances and reaching the Europa League final last season.
Initially, Roma were keen to sign Llorente permanently, with reports suggesting a £4.3 million deal was in place. However, according to TuttoMercatoWeb, Roma will likely not renew Llorente’s loan, and he will return to Leeds in the summer ahead of a future exit.
This development comes as a surprise, given Leeds’ confidence in selling Llorente and Roma’s willingness to spend £4.3 million to secure his services permanently. Despite his significant game time under Jose Mourinho and Daniele De Rossi, Roma are looking to reduce spending and streamline their squad, ruling out a permanent move for Llorente.
The situation raises questions about the fate of other Leeds players out on loan. While Robin Koch has joined Frankfurt permanently, and Luis Sinisterra will move to Bournemouth beyond his loan, the future of players like Jack Harrison, Max Wober, Marc Roca, and Brenden Aaronson remains uncertain.
Leeds United are keen to offload these players to generate revenue, but it seems they may need to explore other options, as Roma’s decision on Llorente has dealt a blow to their plans. With the transfer window approaching, Leeds will need to act swiftly to secure deals for their out-on-loan players and strengthen their squad for the upcoming season.
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