Who is Fernando Llorente? Chelsea transfer target’s player profile and history – here’s what we know about the Spaniard
Stamford Bridge manager Antonio Conte is eyeing a shock reunion with Swansea striker at his table-toppers
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CHELSEA have been linked with a shock move for Fernando Llorente.
But any move would depend on out-of-favour Blues striker Michy Batshuayi going out on loan.
Here, SunSport runs the rule over the Swansea striker who put a serious dent in Liverpool's Premier League title dream.
Who is Fernando Llorente and which clubs has he played for?
Fernando Llorente is a 31-year-old Spaniard who plays for Swansea.
He is a World Cup and Euros winner with La Roja, and boasts titles in Serie A and the Europa League.
Llorente began his career at Basconia, a club currently playing in the fourth tier of Spanish football.
When he was 19 he signed for fellow Basque-based side Athletic Bilbao, playing for the B team.
After just one year he progressed into the first team to play under manager Javier Clemente.
It was here that Llorente made a name for himself, enjoying eight seasons at the club.
But the giant striker struggled to find his feet at first.
Llorente was hampered by injury in his first season and ended the campaign with just two league goals.
Despite his goal-shy year, Bilbao recognised the potential in their hitman and handed him a long-term contract, which included a buy-out clause between £25million-£42m.
Llorente ended his career at Bilbao with 118 goals in 333 appearances, finishing runner up in the Europa League, Copa del Rey and Spanish Cup.
But when then-Juventus manager Antonio Conte spotted his talent and signed him on a free in 2013, his fortunes would change.
In two full seasons at Juve, Llorente won successive Serie A titles and the Coppa Italia. He also came within a whisker of capturing a Champions League winners medal, only for the Italians to be thwarted by Barcelona in 2015.
After 27 goals in 91 appearances for the Bianconeri, playing alongside the likes of Gianluigi Buffon, Giorgio Chiellini and Carlos Tevez, Llorente returned to Spain with Sevilla.
The Spaniard was part of Unai Emery's Europa League-winning side that beat Liverpool in the final and, despite not actually playing, claimed a winners' medal.
Llorente signed for Swansa at the start of the 2016-17 season for an undisclosed fee - thought to be in the region of £5million.
He has scored eight times for the Swans, including two in the dramatic 3-2 win over Liverpool on January 21.
- Basconia, 2003-04
- Bilbao Athletic, 2004-05
- Athletic Bilbao, 2005-13
- Juventus, 2013-15
- Sevilla, 2015-16
- Swansea, 2016-
![Antonio Conte signed Spain striker Fernando Llorente while he was at Juventus](data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" viewBox="0 0 639 960"%3E%3C/svg%3E)
5Antonio Conte signed Spain striker Fernando Llorente while he was at JuventusCredit: PA:Press Association
What has Fernando Llorente won?
Spain
- World Cup: 2010
- European Championships: 2012
Juventus
- Serie A: 2013-14, 2014-15, 2015-16
- Coppa Italia: 2014-15
- Italian Cup: 2013, 2014
Sevilla
- Europa League: 2015-16
What is Fernando Llorente's playing style?
Standing at 6ft 5in, Llorente is more a team player than a goal-getter.
His huge stature makes him a perfect Plan B - someone to substitute on to change the attacking style when Plan A is not working.
Naturally, he is a huge threat in the air and bases his game on winning headers.
Llorente lacks pace and works best when he has willing runners on either side of him, so would fit into the system Conte has introduced at Chelsea this system.
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