Details as Diego Llorente seals Leeds United to AS Roma move with view to permanent transfer
Diego Llorente has left Leeds United to join Serie A side AS Roma on loan with a view to a permanent departure from the Whites.
Spanish international centre-back Llorente joined Leeds from Real Sociedad for a fee of £18 million in September 2020 but the 29-year-old has featured in just two of United's last 13 league games. Llorente has been an unused substitute for 11 of those contests due to Whites boss Jesse Marsch being able to call on the likes of Robin Koch, captain Liam Cooper and now impressive January recruit Max Wober.
Llorente signed a new three-and-a-half year deal with the Whites last month which protected his value and has now departed to join Roma who are managed by Jose Mourinho. The Portuguese coach handed Llorente his first-team debut at Real Madrid in 2013.
Current left back Pascal Struijk and right back Luke Ayling are other centre-back option for Leeds who have further bolstered their defensive ranks with Portugal Under-19 centre-back Diogo Monteiro before Tuesday evening’s deadline. The teenager has joined from Swiss Super League side Servette and will initially join up with the Under-21 setup at Thorp Arch.
Llorente was pictured arriving at Rome’s Fiumicino Airport on Monday before undergoing routine medical tests the following morning. It is expected that Roma will exercise their option to purchase the defender outright, putting an end to Llorente’s Elland Road stay after 59 appearances and four goals over two years.