Leeds ace has ‘total agreement’ to leave Elland Road at a £14m loss

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Diego Llorente will return to Serie A giants AS Roma on loan with a £4.3 million obligation-to-buy clause in his contract from recently-relegated Leeds United. 

This week could be a big one in Leeds United’s preparations for the new Championship table. 

Daniel Farke will finally be confirmed as the club’s new head coach; impressing during a series of interviews with the Elland Road bosses (The Athletic). 

And with a trio of high-earning, big-money signings on the verge of bidding farewell, Farke should be boosted by a timely influx of funds to play with as Leeds look to remove a number of underperforming players off the wage bill. 

Marc Roca is closing in on a return to La Liga with Real Betis. Rasmus Kristensen, meanwhile, is on his way to Roma, where he will reunite with another player who joined Leeds amid lofty expectations before disappointing in West Yorkshire. 

Diego Llorente returning to Roma from Leeds United

According to Gianluca di Marzio, there is now a ‘total agreement’ regarding a deal which will see Spain international Diego Llorente return for another spell at the Giallorossi.  

Llorente played under Jose Mourinho on loan during the second half of last season. Roma were reluctant to meet Leeds’ £18 million asking price at the time. But, following relegation, the Yorkshire giants appear willing to accept a massive loss on a player who joined from Real Sociedad back in 2020. 

Roma, Di Marzio adds, will now sign Llorente on loan; an option-to-buy clause in his contract set at just £4.2 million. That is around a quarter of the fee Leeds paid to bring the rangy centre-back to England in the first place during the Marcelo Bielsa era. 

Llorente played nine Serie A games for Roma from January to June last term. He also featured against Sevilla in the Europa League final. 

“I’m satisfied,” Mourinho told DAZN after a particularly impressive Llorente showing during a 3-0 thrashing of Sampdoria in April. “Diego Llorente also played very well. As a manager, that’s what really struck me about today; Llorente’s performance. 

“I was really happy with Llorente because he allowed us to keep more possession.”