Fernando Llorente has opened the door for a return to LaLiga as he continues to struggle for first-team opportunities at Tottenham.
Llorente has only had one season in his homeland since 2013, the 33-year-old having played in Italy with Juventus, before time with Swansea City and now Spurs.
The striker has only started 11 matches in all competitions for Tottenham since his move in 2017, Llorente finding himself playing second fiddle to Harry Kane in Mauricio Pochettino s plans.
And with his current deal set to expire in June, Llorente has hinted a return to Spain would be his preferred option.
Speaking to reporters after Tottenham s 2-1 Champions League win over PSV, he said: I ve been away from home for many years, I d love to go back to LaLiga.
According to Marca, talks have begun between Barcelona and Jordi Alba over the possibility of him signing a new contract with the club. Alba suggested that he hadn’t been contacted about a new contract although he may have been doing that in order to get Barca’s attention, with his current deal being set to expire in 2020.
The club have made his contract a top priority, as the 29 year old attempts to secure his long term future with a team that are easily one of the favourites to lift the Champions League trophy once again this season. Alba joined Barca back in 2012 from Valencia, and since then he’s been their star left back – enjoying multiple silverware successes in the process.
Barcelona will take on PSV Eindhoven in Europe tonight, as they attempt to move o…
Udinese have completed the loan signing of Stefano Okaka, who joins the Serie A side from Watford for the rest of the season.
Okaka has made only two substitute appearances in the Premier League this term, his last goal for Watford coming in August 2017.
And Udinese owned by the Pozzo family, like Watford will now have the 29-year-old available for the remainder of the 2018-19 campaign as they battle to avoid relegation.
Okaka has played for Serie A sides including Parma, Sampdoria and Roma in a nomadic career, also earning four Italy caps and scoring once for the Azzurri.
The striker s debut for Udinese, who are 15th in the table, could come against one of his former clubs, with Parma visiting Davide Nicola s side on January 19.
Okaka is strong …
Market: Monaco win
Odds: 8/11 @
Hoping to make an immediate return to winning ways on Sunday afternoon, Monaco will welcome Brest to the Stade Louis II.
Starting with the hosts, putting in what was a toothless performance last weekend as they eventually had to settle for a 2-0 defeat at the hands of Lille, Monaco will certainly be seeking an immediate response here. Nevertheless, while the French giants might have seen their three-match winning run come to an abrupt end last time out, Adi Hutter’s side have their sights set on securing a lucrative Champions League return this time around. Marking their return from October’s international break with a 2-1 victory against Metz, the former Eintracht Frankfurt boss has seen his side gain a reputation for their c…
Jorge Sampaoli accepted a 6-1 thrashing at the hands of Spain took him by surprise, the Argentina coach saying his team had been slapped .
The joint-worst defeat in Argentina s history came with Sampaoli s men unravelling after the interval, Isco scoring a hat-trick at Atletico Madrid s Wanda Metropolitano.
Argentina without talisman Lionel Messi due to injury had beaten Italy 2-0 in Manchester on Friday but found Spain far too strong on Tuesday.
And Sampaoli conceded there is a lot of work to do to ensure Argentina do not suffer similar embarrassment at the World Cup in Russia.
We have to take charge of this game, these things cannot happen to us at the World Cup, Sampaoli said.
Spain have slapped us, we have to keep working.
They a…
Watford manager Quique Sanchez Flores has confirmed the club are close to signing Mario Suarez from Fiorentina.
Reports in the British media have indicated the Premier League club are on the verge of bringing the former Atletico Madrid midfielder to Vicarage Road.
A fee of £4million is said to have been agreed with the Serie A side as Watford look to add more quality to a team that has impressed on their return to the Premier League.
Speaking after his side s late FA Cup fourth-round 1-0 win over Nottingham Forest, Flores said: There are little details [to be done] but Mario Suarez is very close to being in our squad.
I think it is practically done. There are little details but I consider him a player of Watford.
It [Suarez s signing] shows …
Ashley Barnes has become the latest member of Sean Dyche s high-flying Burnley squad to commit his future to the Clarets, the striker signing a deal until 2021.
The in-form Barnes has scored three goals in as many games in the Premier League, taking him to six for the season, and in the process cemented his position as Burnley s record goalscorer in the competition with 17.
Barnes previous deal was due to expire at the end of the 2018-19 campaign, but Burnley have moved quickly to tie him down for another two years – which will extend his association with the club to eight years.
The 28-year-old joins Nick Pope, James Tarkowski, Kevin Long and Stephen Ward in signing a new deal at Turf Moor, and he is confident there are exciting times ahead.
I think I…
Luis Enrique called his Barcelona side spectacular following their 8-0 thrashing of Deportivo La Coruna on Wednesday.
Barca s title bid has faltered in recent weeks, but they bounced back with a ruthless display at the Riazor, keeping their noses ahead of Atletico Madrid on head-to-head record.
Luis Suarez netted four of Barca s eight to take his 2015-16 tally to 49 goals, matching his best season at Ajax in 2009-10.
Ivan Rakitic, Lionel Messi, Marc Barta and Neymar completed the morale-boosting rout.
We played a great game and were very effective, creating infinite options, Luis Enrique said after the match.
It was a spectacular result for us. We didn t concede any goals and won away from home.
We moved down the wings really well, …
Diego Simeone marked five years in charge of Atletico Madrid on Friday.
Although the capital club are currently languishing sixth in LaLiga, with their coach s long-term future subject to mounting speculation, Simeone s time in charge of Atleti is likely to be celebrated long after he departs.
From that unforgettable LaLiga title triumph in 2013-14 to those agonising near misses in the 2014 and 2016 Champions League finals against bitter rivals Real Madrid, we take a look at the Opta statistics behind one of the finest coaching reigns of the modern era in European football.
DIEGO SIMEONE S ATLETICO MADRID IN NUMBERS
Simeone (190) has been in charge of the second-most matches in Atletico Madrid history. The only coach with more Atleti games u…
Manchester United are interested in signing Antoine Griezmann from Atletico Madrid, according to . The report has noted that Griezmann has a release clause of €25 million in his contract at La Liga club Atletico, and that Premier League giants United are willing to trigger it.
Griezmann, who can operate as a forward or as an attacking midfielder, is 32 now. The France international did not have the best of times during his short spell at Barcelona, but he is now doing well again back at Atletico. The forward has scored eight goals and given one assist in 12 La Liga matches and scored four goals in four UEFA Champions League games this season.
United are sixth in the Premier League table at the moment with 21 points from 12 matches, seven points behind leaders and defe…