Liverpool are one of five clubs keeping tabs on Real Sociedad centre-back Diego Llorente, according to AS. Monaco are said to be leading the way for the Spanish international but the Reds, Tottenham, West Ham and Championship side Fulham are said to have scouted the defender this season.
The 26-year-old has a €50m (£44m) release clause, which is probably a lot more than most would be willing to pay for the player, and some fans on Twitter don’t think he’d be worth the outlay:
£44M may be a bit steep
— Geo (@GGOA_SSW) May 14, 2020
If we signed all these players we'd have 3 sides ?
— Mark Rolo (@rolo200011) May 14, 2020
lol Liverpool are gonna top the Spending ?
— S!!PHE ?? (@SiiPHE91) May 14, 2020
Others have commented that they don’t want a Llorente in their squad after namesake, Marcos, knocked Liverpool out of the Champions League for Atletico:
i couldnt look at Llorente on a Jersey its a no from me
— ??♂️ (at?) (@StephenHYnwa) May 13, 2020
Llorente pic.twitter.com/ZqFHxCwJKW
— TIM MOUNCE (@timmonce17) May 13, 2020
I don’t want anything to do with someone called llorente
— Hugo?? (@ftbl_hugo) May 13, 2020
Don’t want Llorente in a Liverpool jersey
— ?? (@ftblbrian) May 13, 2020
Llorente pic.twitter.com/FTqzmkpmLB
— Max (at ?) (@Mcleaveo) May 13, 2020
Whether there is actually anything in this rumour, it is difficult to tell. The Reds have been linked with Llorente in the past and they will need another centre-half if Dejan Lovren leaves when the transfer window opens.
However, the club already have a couple of young centre-back prospects, in Ki-Jana Hoever and Sepp van den Berg, who could replace the Croatian.