Fernando Llorente of Premier League challengers Tottenham Hotspur could potentially join La Liga strugglers Athletic Bilbao in the January transfer window.
With Athletic Bilbao hovering just two points above the La Liga relegation zone, it is no surprise that a proud old club who have never been relegated from the top flight of Spanish football are planning big changes in the January transfer window.
Unfortunately for Athletic, however, they cannot simply buy their way out of trouble. It is a little more complicated than that.
As part of a historic club tradition, the Lions can only sign players who were born or grew up in the Basque region. Although that is not to say there are no options available.
In quotes reported by Cadena Ser, Athletic’s sporting director Rafa Alkorta has admitted that the club are interested in bringing Tottenham striker Fernando Llorente back to the San Mames, while Alaves winger Ibai Gomez is also on their radar alongside Manchester United midfielder Ander Herrera and Bayern Munich enforcer Javi Martinez.
“We are interested in Javi Martínez, Ibai, Ander Herrera, Llorente,” Alkorta said.
“Any player of Ibai’s quality interests us.”
Llorente has been heavily tipped to leave Tottenham in recent months, but he offered Mauricio Pochettino a timely reminder of his talents with an FA Cup hat-trick on Friday, albeit against League Two Tranmere Rovers.
Ibai, meanwhile, has shone for high-flying Deportivo Alaves this season, inspiring the unfancied outfit to fourth in the table.
Goal reported in October that Leeds were confident of signing the winger, whose contract is due to expire in June but it seems that he is more likely to stay in Spain.
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