athletic-club.net: Fernando Llorente

Top Premier League clubs Manchester United, Liverpool and Tottenham Hotspur are reportedly preparing a bid for Athletic Bilbao striker Fernando Llorente before the next season starts.

United are thought to prepare a £35 million ($57 million) bid for the 26-year-old, while Spurs and Liverpool have chalked out bids with the former placing a bid of £26 million ($42 million) respectively.

The Bilbao Player has even claimed that Liverpool officials flew to Spain on the last day of the transfer window to sign him but were unable to meet the £30 million ($49 million) release clause.

United, at the moment, look likeliest of all the clubs with their £35 million ($57 million) bid for the Bilbao striker, according to a metro report.

Fernando Llorente made his debut with Athletic Bilbao in January 2005 in a 1–1 home draw against RCD Espanyol. Later, in a Copa del Rey match with UD Lanzarote, he scored a hat-trick in a 6–0 victory. Llorente has also represented Spain at the 2005 FIFA World Youth Championship, and has scored seven goals in 18 appearances for the national team.

Llorente has appeared in 204 games for Bilbao and has scored 63 times.

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