Arsenal and Fernando Llorente - Made for each other?

FLORENCE, ITALY – OCTOBER 20: Fernando Llorente of Juventus in action during the Serie A match between ACF Fiorentina and Juventus at Stadio Artemio Franchi on October 20, 2013 in Florence, Italy. (Photo by Gabriele Maltinti/Getty Images)

Fernando Llorente is a man of class but limited opportunities. The Spanish attacker who joined the Bianconeri in the summer from Athletic Bilbao is said to be an exceptionally talented forward with the knack of making fast runs and swift movements. Sadly however, he is approaching his 30’s and still can’t boast of a permanent spot in either his club team Juventus or the nation he hopes to play for, Spain.

The attacker has played second fiddle to Carlos Tevez, who joined from Manchester City in the summer, for most of the season so far having played just one minute in the club’s first five games of the league.

So, it hardly comes as a surprise when reports of him wanting to leave Serie A in the New Year, given his limited first-team opportunities have surfaced even though he started two recent games for the Turins. Against Florentina where they lost 4-2, he was pretty effective in creating chances of the flank which prompted the manager to give him a start against football giants Real Madrid where he impressed one and all with a 22 minute equalizer to Ronaldo’s opening goal. Ronaldo scored again though, to deny Juventus a point but by then Llorente had left his mark and his prospects of making the team suddenly look brighter.

However, it is well known that Llorente would hardly be given the nod over Tevez in the Juventus side. Further, for Spain, Manchester City’s Alvaro Negredo, Chelsea’s Fernando Torres, Swansea’s Michu and Tottenham’s Roberto Soldado are all vying for the striker’s spot and he knows all too well that his career needs a miracle, for him to be in the reckoning for a spot in Vicente Del Bosque squad.

In this scenario, a move to Arsenal would match his needs perfectly. Arsenal is currently at the top of the table with 19 points from 8 games and is going great guns. The team looks extremely solid and Arsene Wenger’s men are expected to win some silverware this season, something that Llorente would be only too happy to add to his kitty.

From Arsenal’s point of view, there cannot be a better bet than Llorente. His striking abilities are well known as is the starkly visible weakness in the attacking line-up of Arsenal. Polodski is injured, Bendtner has not scored for the Gunners since the January 2011 and except for Oliver Giroud who has been in ravishing form, and there is no other striker at Wenger’s disposal. Questions of Giroud’s longevity have long been asked and in case of any mishap, Wenger could find himself without a genuine striker.

Secondly, Arsenal has always been an advocate of 4-4-2 formation which implies their fondness to play two strikers. This move could thus, open the gateways for a Giroud-Llorente partnership at the front and on paper that looks a really deadly combination.

So, Arsenal’s interest in Llorente and Llorente reciprocation of the same are good for both the parties in the long run. Both are desperate for each other as a solution to their own problems and a January transfer of Llorente into the Gunner’s squad could well prove to be the title winning move for Arsenal and a career saving one for the Spanish striker.