The centre-half, formerly of the Spanish national team, has started 21 of Roma's 28 Serie A games this season and seven of their nine Europa League fixtures. His goal on Sunday evening was a first for the season. Roma sit fifth and remain in contention for Champions League football next season, when Llorente could well find himself a permanent fixture at Stadio Olimpico. Pic: Gabriele Maltinti/Getty ImagesThe centre-half, formerly of the Spanish national team, has started 21 of Roma's 28 Serie A games this season and seven of their nine Europa League fixtures. His goal on Sunday evening was a first for the season. Roma sit fifth and remain in contention for Champions League football next season, when Llorente could well find himself a permanent fixture at Stadio Olimpico. Pic: Gabriele Maltinti/Getty Images
The centre-half, formerly of the Spanish national team, has started 21 of Roma's 28 Serie A games this season and seven of their nine Europa League fixtures. His goal on Sunday evening was a first for the season. Roma sit fifth and remain in contention for Champions League football next season, when Llorente could well find himself a permanent fixture at Stadio Olimpico. Pic: Gabriele Maltinti/Getty Images

Leeds United exit update after huge Champions League race goal and Premier League bench return

Leeds United man Diego Llorente lashed in a stunning late equaliser to salvage a draw for loan club Roma against Fiorentina on Sunday night.

The Spanish centre-half scored a spectacular leveller to make it 2-2 and keep fifth-placed Roma a point ahead of Atalanta, who also drew 2-2 with AC Milan on Sunday. The goal’s other consequence was to narrow the gap to fourth-placed Bologna to three points after their 1-0 Saturday defeat by runaway Serie A leaders Inter Milan. Llorente was delighted to hit the net but still had mixed feelings at the final whistle. He told DAZN: “I’m happy with the goal but I think we didn’t have a good performance today. We have to work better as a team and individually. Yellow cards were a problem for us tonight. Mancini, Paredes, Huijsen, it became difficult to play. In the end we got a good point out of this match, an important point for the team. Svilar? He gave a great performance, with a goalkeeper like that we can do great things. I think with the kind of personality that we have we can reach Champions League football. We have to prepare every match as if it were the last match of the season.”

Llorente is one of two Leeds United loanees at Roma, after joining Rasmus Kristensen in the Italian capital for the entire 2023/24 season, and one of a huge number of Whites currently plying their trade with temporary or permanent new employers across England and further afield in Europe. Here’s the latest on their progress as the season nears its final stages and a summer that could and should bring some permanent exits.