Spanish caps, La Liga centurion, Europa League and Real Madrid - a look at Leeds United target Diego Llorente

The need for defensive improvement has been very apparent in United's first two games upon their long-awaited return to the Premier League with the Whites conceding seven goals in two 4-3 thrillers at champions Liverpool and at home to Fulham.

And Leeds are now looking towards Sociedad defender Llorente with the Whites reportedly in advanced talks to sign the 27-year-old defender and with a deal said to be close with the fee reportedly in the region of 20 million euros.

Llorente's entire career so far has come in Spain with the defender joining Real Madrid's youth system aged just eight and then working his way up the ranks.

Following outings for Real's C and B teams, a first team debut presented itself in June 2013 when Llorente replaced Alvaro Arbeloa as an 85th-minute substitute in a 4-2 win at home to Osasuna in La Liga.

More outings for Real's B team presented themselves over the following two seasons in addition to another two outings for Real's first team from the bench - one in the Copa Del Rey and another in La Liga.

Llorente was then loaned out to Rayo Vallecano for the duration of the 2015-16 season and made 33 league starts plus another four in the Copa Del Rey as his side suffered relegation in finishing third bottom.

His season also featured a debut for the Spanish national side in a 3-1 victory in Bosnia in an international friendly with Llorente playing in the holding midfield role and taken off for Cesc Fabregas in the 60th minute.

After returning to Real Madrid, Lllorente then headed out on another season-long loan and this time to Malaga for the 2016-17 campaign.

Another 25 league starts followed as part of a campaign in which Llorente also picked up an ankle injury and a second red card against Barcelona having also been sent off against the Spanish giants in the previous campaign.

Malaga finished the season in 11th and Llorente then joined Sociedad the following summer, signing a five-year deal in June 2017.

In the three years that have followed, Llorente has made 88 La Liga outings for Sociedad in addition to ten appearances in cup ties including six in the Europa League.

Despite being a centre-back, Llorente's first month on the field at Sociedad featured something of a goal blitz with the defender netting on his debut in a 4-2 win at Deportivo in La Liga and then bagging a brace in his very next game to help Sociedad to a 4-0 triumph at home to Rosenborg in the Europa League.

Two outings later, Llorente was then sent off for a second booking in a 3-0 loss at Levante but another goal then followed upon his return in a 3-1 loss at Zenit in the Europa League and another strike in a 4-4 draw at home to Real Betis in La Liga.

As part of a campaign slightly disrupted by a muscular injury, Llorente ended up making 34 appearances in his first season in league and cup, netting seven times as his side finished 12th and made the last 32 of the Europa League before being knocked out by eventual semi-finalists Red Bull Salzburg.

Injuries hampered progress somewhat in the following campaign but Llorente still made three more appearances for the Spanish national side as part of a season in which Sociedad this time finished ninth, only missing out on qualification for the Europa League by two places and three points.

And another 29 outings in La Liga came Llorente's way in his third season with Sociedad as his side finished the delayed campaign in sixth.

Llorente also made his fifth and most recent outing for the Spanish national side in a 2-1 victory in Romania in a European Championships qualifier back in September 2019 but the defender was sent off with 11 minutes left and also red carded for a second yellow in a 2-1 loss at home to Getafe in La Liga the following month.

This season has featured just the one outing so far with Llorente playing the full 90 minutes of Sociedad's first game of the new La Liga season which ended in a 1-1 draw at Valldolid.

The defender was then an unused substitute in last weekend's goalless draw at home to Real Madrid and Llorente was also on the bench for both of Spain's Nations League clashes earlier this month against Germany and Ukraine.

In total, Llorente has now made 138 appearances in La Liga, scoring eight times with the centre-back picking up 30 yellow cards and four reds including two against Barcelona - plus his red for Spain.

The defender can also boast six outings in the Europa League and three goals as well as his five caps for Spain and Llorente is able to play as both a holding midfielder and right back in addition to his natural centre-back position.

His height will also be an asset at six-foot-one and Llorente is described as a centre-back who is comfortable on the ball but one who has also had a few injuries.

After 15 years with first club Real Madrid and three at Sociedad, it seems a switch to Leeds is likely to be next.

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Thank you Laura Collins