A permanent transfer from Leeds United to AS Roma may not be far away for Diego Llorente.
Llorente is currently in the midst of a season-long-loan deal in the Italian capital having impressed on loan there in the second half of the 2022/23 campaign.
Roma had a purchase option of around £18 million to sign Llorente permanently in the summer, but that fee was deemed too high and so the two clubs returned to the negotiating table for another loan deal.
It was reported at the time that the two clubs had struck an agreement for just a straight loan, despite having held talks over an option or obligation to buy.
However, according to Metropolitan Magazine, Roma do indeed have an obligation to buy Llorente for just £4.2 million providing he plays in 50 per cent of the club’s matches this season.
Llorente performing well at Roma
Due to an injury to Chris Smalling, Llorente has played regularly under Jose Mourinho this season, and as such, ‘it won’t take long’ for the Spaniard’s move to become permanent.
Llorente has started four of Roma’s five matches in the Europa League, while also starting 11 of the club’s 14 Serie A games, including each of the last five.
Aside from some poor defending alongside fellow Leeds loanee Rasmus Kristsensen against Inter Milan, Llorente is said to have been a solid performer for Roma so far this season.
While £4.3 million is a considerable loss on what Leeds paid Real Sociedad to sign him back in 2020, Llorente is a good wage to get off the books at Elland Road.
There is absolutely no chance of him ever returning to play for Leeds again and it seems like he has found himself a home at Roma, making a permanent deal a no brainer.
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