Champions League hero explains why he turned down Chelsea for Tottenham

Fernando Llorente has revealed he chose to join Tottenham ahead of Chelsea because Spurs showed more intent in their pursuit of him.

Llorente has struggled for regular game time since arriving at Tottenham from Swansea City in the summer of 2017.

However, he has deputised for Harry Kane during the England captain’s absences through injury this season, improving on his performances from the previous campaign.

The Spaniard has scored crucial goals in the Champions League knockout stages against Borussia Dortmund and Manchester City.

And Llorente has explained why he chose Spurs instead of Chelsea when the opportunity to leave Swansea came about.

“At that time I had spent a lot of time talking with Chelsea but they didn’t have an agreement with Swansea, whereas Tottenham came in and quickly found an agreement with them,” Llorente told Sky Sports.

“That told me that Mauricio [Pochettino] and his team had a lot of belief in me, and when you are making a decision, that’s very important.

“The project excited me, and despite having a secondary role in the team, it has definitely been worth it. It has been a wonderful experience.

“In the majority of my previous clubs I was a regular starter, but I have learnt to experience it in another way. Trophies and games are won by all the players, not just the 11 who start. If something happens during the season and the squad players don’t keep fighting and don’t keep believing that they can be important, then you are in trouble.”

The 34-year-old is out of contract at the end of season is expected to return to Spain, with former club Athletic Bilbao a possible destination.

Before then, Llorente is set to play a crucial role for Tottenham. He is likely to start against Bournemouth this weekend and against Ajax next week.

If Tottenham reach the Champions League final, there is a chance Harry Kane will be fit again, meaning Llorente may have to settle for a place on the bench.