Chelsea to offer Fernando Torres long-term contract

Fernando Llorente Torres that is!

It is no secret that Chelsea are looking to buy a new strike-force, and Fernando Llorente is a striker worth talking about.

Llorente has scored over 1 goal for every 3 games played in his 8 years at Athletic Bilbao, with 82 goals in his 245 La Liga appearances.

This is a consistent striker with the best years ahead of him. The 27 year-old has been much admired by Premier League clubs, and the Spaniard insists he wants a new challenge.

The news brings to a close months of speculation surrounding Llorente, who rejected Bilbao’s opening contract offer over the summer, and nearly forced through a move to Juventus in the process.

That deal eventually collapsed, but Llorente is now ready to move on a free transfer at the end of the season, with a switch to England looking increasingly likely.

‘I am going to leave on June 30. I want to develop as a player and try something new,’ said Llorente.

‘It isn’t about money because the offer the club made was irresistible.’

Arsenal, Tottenham, Manchester City and Liverpool are all long-term fans of the 27-year-old, while Chelsea hold the most serious interest, having reportedly approached his representatives over a transfer in the last few months.

The fight for the frontman’s signature is likely to be intense, especially with no transfer fee involved given his future free agent status.

Spanish giants Real Madrid have also been linked with a move, but Premier League teams have the advantage of being able to negotiate a pre-contract from January onwards.

Chelsea may look to offer Bilbao a cash offer in January considering their desperate need for a striker currently, and should be available for less than €5M.

LLorente has consistently scored goals for a mediocre team, and has been widely been considered one of the most lethal marksmen in Europe. The only downside to buying the striker, is that his full name is Fernando Llorente Torres, and may confuse some of the abuse aimed at his counterpart. The last thing we would want is 2 Fernando Torres’! Going to have to forget his last name…