Tottenham flop Llorente wants to move to Bilbao

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Bengaluru, April 24: Tottenham Hotspur flop Fernando Llorente is open to quitting the north London club this summer, according to reports in Spain.

Spanish newspaper Marca claims that the veteran striker could rejoin former side Athletic Bilbao this summer after failing to make the grade at Spurs.

Mauricio Pochettino brought the 33-year-old to north London from Swansea City last summer, but the Spanish striker has managed to score just five goals, three of them coming in the form of a hat-trick against Rochdale.

The former Juventus, Sevilla and Bilbao striker has failed to provide adequate back-up to striker Harry Kane, who has continued to shine in the final third for Spurs with a huge 37 goals in 44 games.

Despite Kane missing a chunk of games with injuries, Llorente failed to make much of a fuss as Pochettino preferred to use Heung Min-Son upfront in those games.

His former club Athletic Bilbao are interested and Llorente, who has been on the bench for 19 of his 22 games, would be keen on a club where he spent 12 years.

Now, Marca claim a return to Bilbao "would be possible", also saying that the Spanish club would have "preferential treatment in any conversation" ahead of the summer transfer window.

Llorente has said: “Athletic Club are my home and if they make an offer, a return could happen.

“I enjoyed many wonderful moments at the club that I will never forget and Athletic will always hold a special place in my heart.

“If they do make me a proposal to come back, then I would have to think about it and yes, maybe it could happen.”

That could see Llorente decide to return to his home country after three years in the Premier League by rejoining a side that already boast firepower in the form of Aduriz, Inaki Williams and Iker Muniain.

Bilbao are only allowed to sign players from the Basque region, and Llorente fits that category despite leaving the side in 2013 to join Juventus due to his birthplace of Pamplona.

With only a year left to run on his contract, Spurs are likely to sell this summer according to reports, rather than risk losing the £12million star on a free at the end of his current deal.