Roma have completed the signing of Diego Llorente from Leeds United on loan with a view to a permanent deal.
Llorente, a centre-back, becomes the first player to join Roma from Leeds since Olivier Dacourt 20 years ago.
The 10-cap Spain international will wear the 14 shirt (recently vacated by Eldor Shomurodov) for his new club.
He told the club’s official website: “When the possibility of coming to Roma was presented to me I did not need to think about it twice.
“Coming here is a big step forward for me in my career and I want to make the most of this opportunity.
“Rome is beautiful, an incredible city, and I think it is almost impossible to find a better place to play football.
“The club is fighting to achieve great things on all fronts this season and I am ready to make my contribution towards that.”
Llorente only signed a contract extension with Leeds last month, but has now left the Yorkshire side after two-and-a-half seasons for his first taste of Italian football.
At the age of 29, he becomes Roma’s second most senior centre-back after England international Chris Smalling, since he has more experience than Gianluca Mancini, Roger Ibanez and Marash Kumbulla.
Llorente has actually played under Jose Mourinho before; the current Roma head coach gave him his Real Madrid debut in June 2013.
His time representing his hometown club was brief, though, and he went on to endure loan spells with Rayo Vallecano and Malaga before joining Real Sociedad in 2017.
While in the Basque Country, he earned his first – and until now, only – taste of Europa League football during his debut season.
Llorente ended up at Leeds in 2020 ahead of their return to the Premier League. He has made 59 appearances for the Whites, scoring four goals.
Now, after taking a flight from Leeds to Rome that many visitors to this site might be familiar with, Llorente has successfully completed his medicals and signed his contract to embark on a new challenge with Roma.
He is the club’s second signing of the January transfer window after Ola Solbakken.
Benvenuto, Diego.
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