Mauricio Pochettino hails Fernando Llorente as the 'perfect fit' to compete with Harry Kane

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London, Oct 27: Tottenham Hotspur manager Mauricio Pochettino has claimed that his new signing Fernando Llorente is the "perfect fit" to compete with Harry Kane at the club.

The 32-year-old signed for Spurs on the transfer deadline day in a deal worth around £12 million after helping Swansea to be in the Premier League, scoring 15 goals in the league.

The London based side usually don't buy players who are senior by age and signing the veteran striker was pretty much surprising to everyone. Llorente became the first ever 30+ aged player since 2001 for Tottenham to sign for the club and the first under Pochettino.

However, the Argentine manager suggested that the club never placed age limits on any signings and they signed the former Juventus player because they believe Llorente fits the bill perfectly for the deputy role behind first-team striker Harry Kane.

Pochettino said: “From the beginning here, Daniel Levy has never said to me 'we cannot sign players who are over 25’. I promise you he has never said that.

“All we do is try to find a profile that will fit what we need for the club but he has never said to me 'this is the age limit’. It is important to analyse one thing: when you look at Harry Kane’s form in the last few years, it is not easy to find a player who can compete with him.

“In this market, it is difficult to find a player who wants to come and do that as everyone recognises he is one of the best strikers in the world, and for a club like us it is not easy to find the right player under these circumstances. That is why Llorente is perfect. He fits very well into our project.”

The Spanish international is yet to score for Spurs in his limited nine appearances, which came mostly as subs and in the domestic cup competitions. However, he could be in line to start against Manchester United on Saturday afternoon following concerns over Harry Kane's fitness issues.

Third-placed Tottenham will look to respond from Wednesday’s 3-2 League Cup loss to West Ham United when they visit second-placed Manchester United in the league on Saturday.