Fernando Llorente admits that he was in talks with Chelsea manager Antonio Conte before he joined Tottenham Hotspur in the summer.
Llorente had been on Conte’s wishlist since the January window and Chelsea looked like getting their man towards the end of the summer window before Tottenham blindsided them.
The north London club made a swift move to agree a fee with Swansea before Mauricio Pochettino convinced the 32-year-old striker to move Tottenham on the last day of the transfer window.
Llorente admits that Conte indeed wanted him, but has revealed that Chelsea failed to agree a fee with Swansea, which led to Tottenham swooping in at the last moment.
The striker told Spanish radio station Cadena SER’s El Larguero program: “This year I have joined a great team in Tottenham.
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“I was talking to Antonio Conte, but they didn’t agree a fee with Swansea City, but these things happen in football.
“Then I got a call from Pochettino and I loved the project they sold me, so I’m very happy.”
Llorente is yet to find the back of the net for Tottenham this season and only one of his five appearances was a start, which came in the 1-0 win over Barnsley in the EFL Cup.
