Premier League leaders Liverpool turned down the chance to sign Atletico Madrid’s Marcos Llorente, according to his agent.
What do Mario Mandzukic, Raul Jimenez, Jackson Martinez, Toby Alderweireld and Gelson Martins all have in common?
Well, all arrived at Atletico Madrid amid huge expectations but failed to win over the famously demanding Diego Simeone before being shoved unceremoniously out of the back door.
Now, it is too early to suggest that Marcos Llorente’s Atleti career was doomed from the very beginning but the new £36 million midfielder, signed from city rivals Real Madrid no less (Marca), has certainly endured a forgettable start to his career at the Wanda Metropolitano.
Speaking to Cadena Ser earlier in the summer, the 24-year-old’s agent and uncle Julio Llorente claimed that Liverpool had decided against bringing him to Anfield as they felt they had enough quality already in central midfield.
And, after watching Llorente toil against Eibar, it’s hard to imagine that Fabinho, Jordan Henderson and co would have been quaking in their boots.
Atletico were 2-0 down at the interval for the first time in Simeone’s 10-year tenure on Sunday with Llorente deflecting one of Eibar’s goals into his own net. He also managed just 26 passes in the opening half – 26 less than Saul Niguez and 32 less than Koke.
Llorente never reappeared for the second 45 and it is no coincidence that Atleti looked a team transformed, roaring back to win 3-2 in stoppage time.
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