Former Juventus and Tottenham striker Fernando Llorente feels Spurs midfielder Pierre-Emile Højbjerg would be ideal for the Bianconeri and warns Max Allegri’s men about Rafael Leao.
Højbjerg has emerged as one of Juventus’ main targets for January, given that both Paul Pogba and Nicolò Fagioli have been suspended.
“I faced him [Højbjerg] in the Premier League. He is a leader, a captain and is what Juventus need to start a new successful era,” Llorente, a former Juventus and Tottenham striker, told La Gazzetta dello Sport.
However, there is still a long way to go before the winter transfer window begins. Juventus sit third in the Serie A table and meet Milan at San Siro tonight. Llorente has no doubts about the Rossoneri’s most dangerous player.
“Rafael Leao. I’ve always had a weakness for him since his first season at Milan when he was often criticised. He is a mixture of strength, pace and technique. He is a fantastic striker.”
Llorente also had his say on the recent betting scandal that saw Juventus midfielder Fagioli get a seven-month ban.
“It is sad. Both the scandal and Fagioli’s suspension. Footballers do a lot of meetings where they are warned that betting on football is not permitted. It takes so little to ruin your career.”
Llorente, a former Spain international, won six trophies during his two-year stay in Turin, including two Serie A titles. He worked under Allegri for one season, reaching the Champions League Final in 2014-15 and playing with midfielders like Claudio Marchisio, Arturo Vidal, Paul Pogba and Andrea Pirlo.
Adrien Rabiot is now seen as the Old Lady’s best midfielder, but Llorente believes the Frenchman would have struggled to play in his Juventus side.
“I think it would have been tough for him and anyone else to get playing time with Pirlo, Vidal, Marchisio and Pogba. Talking about Paul. I am so sorry about what happened to him because he is such a nice guy,” Llorente concluded.
