Fernando Llorente Is Not Worth Being Chased By Star-studded Real Madrid
It’s been long now since Real Madrid have been linked with transfer talks surrounding Fernando Llorente. However, the Spanish striker is still an Athletic Bilbao player and a few facts confirm why his chances of wearing the Spanish giants’ white jersey deserve to be limited.
We are familiar with the “war of words” issue involving clubs for the signature of players. For example, Sergio Aguero and Javier Pastore are talented players for which teams have been drawn into fights. A better example of that is the Cesc Fabregas transfer matter giving a sour taste in Barcelona and Arsenal’s relationship.
One may want to ask if this sort of verbal battle is really necessary; that is, if we do believe that no player is greater than a club and that the progress of a team is not entirely concentrated on individuals since football is supposed to be a group thing. Well, when it comes to Real Madrid’s desire to acquire the services of Fernando Llorente, the opinion remains the same: this transfer issue is not worth deteriorating ties between Los Blancos and Los Leones.
“How would Real Madrid like it if Athletic Bilbao were constantly saying that Xabi Alonso or Cristiano Ronaldo were going to sign for Milan? The president has said plenty of times that Llorente is an Athletic Bilbao player and that there’s a project with him at this club,” retorted an annoyed Joaquin Caparros back in late January as AS could report.
“If Real Madrid come up with the money stated in Llorente’s release clause, Bilbao will keep quiet, but not now.”
Recently, in March, Coach Joaquin Caparros made even more interesting comments – only to put Real Madrid to the challenge of reconsidering their ideas surrounding Fernando Llorente. The Athletic Bilbao manager spoke to AS again, declaring:
“I'll be honest with you; I don't think Llorente will fit in at Real Madrid. He is more of a traditional number nine who is at his best in the area of the opponent. But Madrid play a different kind of system.
And then, Caparros asked the big question:
“Are Madrid ready to spend €40 million on an attacker who will probably play only 20 minutes toward the end of the game?
“I just don't see it happening,” he auto-answered.
Or in case it does, it shouldn’t happen, in truth. Only few may disagree upon the belief that there needs to be a good balance between the amount of money paid for a player and the amount of playing that player has on the pitch.
Fernando Llorente won’t cost below €20M, certainly, and his remarkable talent can justify this fact. When Real Madrid were searching for a replacement for then-sidelined Higuain, superstar Cristiano Ronaldo affirmed that “Fernando Llorente is a great player who has the attributes that Jose Mourinho wants to see in a player”.
Well, whoever is right between Caparros and Ronaldo over the issue of Llorente fitting in or not fitting in at Real Madrid, the reality is that the 26-year-old has not moved at the Santiago Bernabeu. And now that Emmanuel Adebayor has arrived from Manchester City to the Spanish capital, why should Real Madrid keep their eyes on Llorente as reports from the media suggest?
In the first place, Adebayor would cost Real Madrid only £18M if Los Blancos decide to offer him a permanent contract come the end of the season. Certainly, the Togolese hasn’t finished proving himself at Real Madrid and he still has a few months left to do so in case he escapes serious injury worries. However, he has been rather good overall thus far.
Emmanuel Adebayor has already won the heart of Los Blancos’ supporters with his positive body language and the striker has testified about the great relationship that is building itself. Real Madrid’s official website and ESPN Soccernet quoted the Togolese as saying:
“I got chills when I heard the Bernabeu chant Manolito, Manolito [against Spurs in the Champions League [...] When I come to Madrid, I feel the same atmosphere [like at Arsenal with the fans]. I feel the fans love me here as well.”
As of now, Emmanuel Adebayor’s future at Real Madrid hasn’t been discussed to the media and the player is yet to know what the next step in his career will be. But will it make sense for Real Madrid to part company with someone that has such a good bond with the club’s supporters? Actually, it may only be justified if Emmanuel Adebayor’s form hits lows during the upcoming weeks.
Presently, however, he has shown good signs of adaptation to Jose Mourinho’s style of playing football. Besides this positive aspect, Emmanuel Adebayor also possesses the experience factor.
The ex-Arsenal striker has played in the French Ligue 1 in the past and he is familiar with Champions League football – which is very important for European glory dreamers Real Madrid. Eventually, in case the Spanish giants settle in maintaining Adebayor as a Blanco at the end of the player’s loan spell, transfer issues surrounding Fernando Llorente would definitely have to end.
The career of attackers Di Maria, Karim Benzema, Cristiano Ronaldo, Gonzalo Higuain and Mesut Özil look safe at Real Madrid. So talking about available places upfront, Joaquin Caparros’ question comes back again:
Are Real Madrid ready to spend €40 million on an attacker who will probably struggle to find his place in Los Blancos’ team as a starter? Emmanuel Adebayor could find his own way of putting the Spanish giants' hunt for Fernando Llorente to bed by outclassing El Rey León in Saturday's Athletic Bilbao vs Real Madrid La Liga match.
