' Llorente to rescue Cardiff? '

Llorente anyone?




The former Swansea City favourite who could rescue Cardiff City's Premier League dream


The former Swansea City favourite who could rescue Cardiff City's Premier League dream
Fernando Llorente ticks the boxes for Neil Warnock's Cardiff City January transfer window needs


Dominic Booth

Sports Writer

Thursday 29th November 2018

Cardiff City need a striker.

It's become something of an obvious statement, but the need for Neil Warnock to invest in his frontline has been exacerbated by recent performances, particularly away from home.


The manager has said it himself. Callum Paterson has done a sterling job as an auxiliary centre-forward, but the search for a January recruit to bring goals to the Cardiff side is becoming vital.

They were linked with the likes of Troy Deeney, Andre Gray and Charlie Austin in the summer, but failed to land their man.

But there's one player who hasn't been mentioned that the Bluebirds should consider — even if his history as a Swansea City star might not immediately endear him to supporters.

Fernando Llorente ticks the boxes. Big time.



Premier League experience? Check.

Towering aerial prowess? Check.

Ability to score goals in a relegation fight? He's done that too.

How the Bluebirds desperately need those qualities if they are to secure their hard-earned Premier League status in 2019.

Warnock could do a lot worse than make a swoop for Llorente, who is in need himself of football. He has played just 13 minutes of league football for Tottenham Hotspur this season, thus could be available on loan.

The problem for Llorente at Spurs is that he's currently a very distant back-up for Harry Kane.

The England striker is rarely rested by boss Mauricio Pochettino and is barely substituted either because of his ability to sniff out poacher's goals in the closing moments of games. Kane has completed 90 minutes in all but two of his appearances for Tottenham this season — and in those cases he was only removed after 86 and 89 minutes.

Even when Kane is missing, Pochettino prefers to play Son Heung-Min up front.

Spurs are also under pressure to offload some of their foreign contingent in January, due to Champions League squad rules about having a minimum of eight homegrown players — which has meant Juan Foyth has been left out this season.








So Llorente looks likely to be on the move in January.

And despite being linked with move back to his native Spain, Cardiff should be in prime position to pounce with a loan offer until the end of the season.

Such an offer would come without the burden of a relegation clause, or leave them lumbered with Llorente's considerable wages in the Championship.

It would suit Llorente too, as he'd return to South Wales as the striking kingpin, in the same way he was revered at rivals Swansea. He could make himself a Bluebirds cult idol by scoring 10 goals or so to keep Warnock's side afloat.








Warnock would surely be keen too.

Llorente is not only a classy operator with European pedigree, having played for Juventus, Atletic Bilbao and Sevilla. But he's a Warnock-type player, a physical focal point and a natural scorer whose 15 goals in 2016-17 were paramount to Swansea's survival under Paul Clement.

Contrast that with how the Swans struggled — and eventually went down — following the departures of Llorente and Gylfi Sigurdsson in the summer of 2017.

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I think he would be a good fit for us on a short term contract or loan.

We have to be realistic and he has scored goals at this level before and, arguably, he would fit into our shape better than the Jacks.

Not sure he has enough movement for Warnock

Would be an outstanding loan signing in Jan if we can get him, I'd fancy our chances if we did!

Not sure he has enough movement for Warnock

Warnock spent £6m on Madine so I think Llorente may well be a bit upset if you question that aspect of his game

Huddersfield linked with Solanke on loan - pulls up trees for England u-23 but hasn't played much if at all for LFC this season.

Not sure he has enough movement for Warnock

well Warnock has never shown any favouritism towards mobility to this date! who's his most expensive signing??

Not sure he has enough movement for Warnock

He's got more movement than our current lamppost .

Not sure he has enough movement for Warnock

well Warnock has never shown any favouritism towards mobility to this date! who's his most expensive signing??

Reid.?....Murphy.?

Spurs signed him as a squad player and I don't really see much has changed there..more chance of us getting Vincent Janssen on loan who did not make their 25..

Problem is that we will have to wait for big clubs to sign players before they release one of their squad of 25? Otherwise we have to sign players not in their 25 like our Tomlin and Pilks who nobody wanted last summer?

Not sure he has enough movement for Warnock

well Warnock has never shown any favouritism towards mobility to this date! who's his most expensive signing??

Murphy isn't it, then Reid, I'm not sure what your point is.

If your talking about Medine then he's favouring him, he can hardly make the bench. Instead choosing the mobile Patterson.

Have been telling everyone who would listen....Llorente is The Man...Know he was at Swansea but I can forgive him that....
The way we play would suit him....

Not sure he has enough movement for Warnock

well Warnock has never shown any favouritism towards mobility to this date! who's his most expensive signing??

Murphy isn't it, then Reid, I'm not sure what your point is.

If your talking about Medine then he's favouring him, he can hardly make the bench. Instead choosing the mobile Patterson.

yes I am talking about the 0 goal for Cardiff £6 mil man . Cardiff now big time, it's not much. yeah of course it was a mistake to make. whata mistaka to make

Not sure he has enough movement for Warnock

well Warnock has never shown any favouritism towards mobility to this date! who's his most expensive signing??

Murphy isn't it, then Reid, I'm not sure what your point is.

If your talking about Medine then he's favouring him, he can hardly make the bench. Instead choosing the mobile Patterson.

yes I am talking about the 0 goal for Cardiff £6 mil man . Cardiff now big time, it's not much. yeah of course it was a mistake to make. whata mistaka to make

promotion was a mistake..? we picked 13 points up in his 6 starts..if that is not contributing I don't know what is......but he didn't score ffs.....

Think he will fit in way city are playing at moment with Patterson experiment? But lorrentè is better header of ball and more skillful than Patterson ! But cannot see spurs letting him go or city paying 100k a week.

we dont need a former swansea player to help us out, the next player someone will suggest is former jack striker michu

Not sure he has enough movement for Warnock

well Warnock has never shown any favouritism towards mobility to this date! who's his most expensive signing??

Murphy isn't it, then Reid, I'm not sure what your point is.

If your talking about Medine then he's favouring him, he can hardly make the bench. Instead choosing the mobile Patterson.

yes I am talking about the 0 goal for Cardiff £6 mil man . Cardiff now big time, it's not much. yeah of course it was a mistake to make. whata mistaka to make

I still don't get your point. Yes Medine has limited mobility like Llorente so why would he bring in Llorente when he clearly wants a forward with mobility like Patterson. Medine hasn't been playing.

Think he will fit in way city are playing at moment with Patterson experiment? But lorrentè is better header of ball and more skillful than Patterson ! But cannot see spurs letting him go or city paying 100k a week.

Llorente is nowhere near as mobile