Fernando Llorente’s demands will not translate into playing time at Chelsea
By George Perry
Fernando Llorente wants to leap-frog Michy Batshuayi to be Diego Costa’s immediate backup at Chelsea. That would not assure Llorente any meaningful playing time as long as Eden Hazard is available as a false nine.
Fernando Llorente and Antonio Conte are supposedly pushing their respective clubs to reunite the ex-Juventus pair at Stamford Bridge. The Swansea forward is on pace for his best season since 2013/14, with six goals in 13 starts for the relegation-threatened side. While he would enjoy being back at the top of the table alongside his former manager, he does not want to sacrifice all of his playing time to do so.
The Telegraph reports that Llorente is conditioning his transfer request on a promise that he would be behind only Diego Costa in Chelsea’s depth chart. His demand would all but consign Michy Batshuayi to a second-half loan, perhaps even to Swansea.
Llorente sets his terms from a relatively strong position. His desire to play for Antonio Conte at Chelsea appears to be just that: a desire. He is not strong-arming or threatening Swansea to secure a transfer out of the Premier League’s basement. He has performed consistently well over the course of regular appearances for the Swans. Llorente has no major gripes or acrimony with any Swansea players or management. Then again, Swansea managers do not stay around long enough to cause drama.
If Chelsea signs Llorente on his conditions, the Italian forward may get less than he bargained for. Diego Costa’s form, discipline and fitness this season leaves few scraps for his backup. Michy Batshuayi has 84 total minutes covering for Costa this season. Llorente could expect little more.
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Llorente has one advantage that Batshuayi does not: Antonio Conte’s trust. Conte kept Batshuayi on the bench for the one Premier League game in which Diego Costa was not available. Conte played Eden Hazard as a false nine in Chelsea’s usual 3-4-3 against Bournemouth. Hazard put in a man of the match performance, which further dented Batshuayi’s hopes.
Llorente would find himself in the same position. Conte is too forthright to play semantic games. But he could say that Llorente is his top backup striker behind Diego Costa, and yet still not play Llorente in Costa’s absence.
Pedro showed against Bournemouth and against Peterborough in the FA Cup that he is equally comfortable on either wing. Pedro’s move to the left wing in place of Hazard opens up the right wing for Willian. These two on either side of Hazard is only a sliver less powerful of a front three than the usual line centered around Costa. When you have Eden Hazard as a false-nine, talk of a striker seems idle.
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If Antonio Conte determines that he wants to stack an extra player in midfield – perhaps against upcoming opponents like Arsenal and Liverpool – he can play a 3-5-2 or 3-5-1-1 with Hazard alongside or slightly behind Costa. Even a nominally two-striker formation does not guarantee Llorente playing time.
Michy Batshuayi is not Fernando Llorente’s potential roadblock at Chelsea. Eden Hazard is.
Another complication for Llorente: he is cup-tied for the FA Cup. Michy Batshuayi at least has the FA Cup to start games and prove his mettle to Antonio Conte while giving Diego Costa the chance to rest. Llorente cannot do the same.
If Llorente comes in and Batshuayi goes out, Chelsea would need to play either Costa or Hazard in the FA Cup. This could adversely affect their readiness and risk injury in the final run-in of the Premier League season. Costa seemed more than happy to share a laugh with Conte on the touchline and return to his seat against Peterborough on Sunday.
And yes, theoretically Chelsea could start Dominic Solanke as striker in the FA Cup. But really now.
Fernando Llorente would win a Pyrrhic victory at best if he transferred to Chelsea on his rumoured terms. Chelsea, though, would lose flexibility in their FA Cup squad rotation which could reverberate into their Premier League ambitions.
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Antonio Conte may want to coach Fernando Llorente again, but the cost to Chelsea’s ambitions seems prohibitively high. They might just need to catch dinner together and call that their reunion.