Juventus want to sign a backup striker this winter, but is Fernando Llorente really the best option?
This summer, Juventus filled an important need at the striker position by replacing Gonzalo Higuain with Alvaro Morata, who signed on loan from Atletico Madrid. Morata has been so impressive to this point, with 16 total goal contributions in all competitions, that he could be signed permanently at the end of the year.
Even so, Juventus still seem to want an experienced backup striker for depth purposes, and that’s a wise move considering they have no real depth behind Morata. Old target Arkadiusz Milik, who could head to Atleti as Diego Costa’s replacement, is on the radar, but he seems to be more expensive than what Juve are looking for.
Therefore, they could turn to his backup, Fernando Llorente. In fact, Sky Sport Italia’s Massimo Ugolini reports that Juventus have contacted Llorente’s agent recently, such is their interest.
Milik’s situation is more complicated, but Llorente could be easy to acquire. The 35-year-old has received just 19 minutes this season in one appearance off the bench in Serie A, so Napoli would probably be willing to get rid of the Spanish striker at a low price.
Is he the kind of player Juventus should be interested in? I don’t think so, but most of the backup options are underwhelming. Torino’s Simone Zaza has been linked to the Bianconeri, so that’s essentially where Juventini are at in terms of what to get excited for.
Llorente is known for being wasteful in front of goal, as many Tottenham fans will attest. But he is also a strong player in the box with his hold-up play and could at least offer that as an asset. It’s been four years since he’s even scored 10 goals in a league season, though, so Llorente is hardly a splash acquisition in the winter market.