Aheed Abrar
Manchester United favourites to sign Spain and Atletico Madrid midfielder Marcos Llorente
Manchester United are seen as favourites to sign Marcos Llorente from Atletico Madrid, according to Mundo Deportivo (h/t Manchester Evening News).
The 27-year-old’s future in Spain is surrounded by rife speculation. And the Red Devils are in pole position to capture the signature of the midfielder from Los Rojiblancos.
Apart from the Old Trafford side, Liverpool are also interested in Llorente. The 27-year-old’s current contract with the Madrid-based club still has almost five years left. However, he could be available for a fee in the region of £35 million.
The Spain international moved from Real Madrid to city rivals Atletico in the summer of 2019. He came up through the youth ranks with Los Blancos. However, after failing to break into the first team, the midfielder was signed by Diego Simeone.
At the Santiago Bernabeu side, Llorente mostly played in the defensive midfield position. However, with Los Colchoneros, he has played in multiple positions.
The 27-year-old has seen a resurgence in his career playing further up the pitch. And the midfielder has become a key member of Simeone’s team over the years.
🔴⚪️🔙 pic.twitter.com/LEG5YaEVOK
— Marcos Llorente (@marcosllorente) November 4, 2022
United evidently need to bolster a few key areas in the squad. For starters, the number nine position is a bit short-handed at the moment with the fitness issues of Anthony Martial. The Frenchman has not been available for a lot of games this season.
The right-back position also evidently requires more depth. Diogo Dalot has been ever-present in the team under Erik ten Hag. However, Aaron Wan-Bissaka has not seen much game time, leaving the load on the Portuguese to handle.
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Llorente is a midfielder on paper. However, under Simeone, the 27-year-old has played as a second striker as well as a right-back. Thus, the Spaniard’s versatility could come in handy if we add him to the squad.
