Chelsea manager Antonio Conte has refused to deny that he is interested in signing Swansea City striker Fernando Llorente.
Chelsea were linked with Swansea striker Llorente throughout the January transfer window, but the deal ultimately didn’t come together due to Paul Clement publicly stating he wanted to keep hold of the Spaniard.
While many Chelsea fans found the rumor confusing, due to already having Michy Batshuayi – who signed from Marseille at the start of this season – on the bench most games, many theorised that Conte wanted an experienced option at his disposal, and having worked with Llorente at Juventus, felt he would be the best choice.
Conte said: “I know him very well because Fernando played with me in Juventus and we won together. He is a really good player, a good footballer and I have great admiration for him as a player and also as a man, because he is a great man. It is a pleasure for me to see him tomorrow. I wish for him the best but after this game.”
“This is the past and it is not right to talk about the past. We must be focused on the present. I have great admiration because he is a great player. We must pay great attention tomorrow… and I stop.”
With Chelsea facing Swansea next in the Premier League, it will be interesting to see what sort of role and impact Llorente will have on the fixture, especially with Conte making no secret of his admiration for the striker.
