Everton were linked with a move for the Swansea City striker earlier this year.
Swansea City’s Fernando Llorente celebrates (right)
Everton were linked with a move for Swansea City striker Fernando Llorente last summer (ESPN).
But with the Swans spiralling towards next season’s Championship, could the Toffees revive their interest in the coming months?
How is he getting on?
11 goals from 28 Premier League games is good going for any bottom-end-of-the-table striker, and his tally will likely improve with six games remaining. Swansea dropped into the bottom three during Llorente’s absence, which was perhaps felt the most during the recent 0-0 draw against Middlesbrough.
Do Everton still need him?
Need is perhaps the wrong word, with Everton’s current centre-forward the top scorer in the league. Nevertheless, it wouldn’t hurt to have someone of Llorente’s ability and experience to call upon from the bench next season.
Could they get him?
If Swansea go down it’s unlikely he’ll follow, with higher division interest to be expected. Whether he’ll want to remain iin English football remains to be seen, but Everton are bound to be an appealing option for Llorente – providing he’s happy with playing a lesser role.
Swansea’s Fernando Llorente arrives
Verdict: 5/10 – Although Llorente won’t be at the top of Everton’s list, the Toffees know all too well the value of experience, with Gareth Barry and Ashley Williams – signed from Swansea in the summer – playing pivotal roles over the past few campaigns, and could take on the Spaniard as back-up to Lukaku if he doesn’t get a better offer, which is perhaps unlikely.
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