Football
Dan Kilpatrick, Tottenham Correspondent 7y

Fernando Llorente has had big impact on Tottenham squad - Pochettino

LONDON -- It did not take long for Fernando Llorente to make an impression on Tottenham's squad, according to Mauricio Pochettino, who said that Hugo Lloris sent him an excited text about the striker on deadline day.

Llorente, 32, joined Spurs in a £12 million deal from Swansea a few hours before last week's transfer deadline after Pochettino helped persuade him to reject Chelsea.

His arrival follows Danny Rose's call for Tottenham to sign big-name players, and Pochettino says the World Cup winner with Spain has already had an impact on the dressing room, particularly club captain Lloris.

"It's amazing," Pochettino said of Llorente's first week at the club. "Hugo Lloris was with the national team and sent a text to me: 'Gaffer, it's true about Llorente?' I said, 'Yes, we sign Llorente.' He said, 'Wow, fantastic player.'

"That is the impact that he has on the changing room because all the players respect him. And then they start to meet him, see how he is -- he is very warm, very friendly -- it was fantastic. It's a big impact for our changing room."

A 19-year-old Llorente played against Pochettino on his senior debut and the Tottenham manager says that his new signing is just as energetic now as he was then.

It was Jan. 16, 2005, when Llorente made his first appearance for Athletic Bilbao in a 1-1 draw with Pochettino's Espanyol, but the former Argentina defender, 13 years Llorente's senior, can only remember one detail from that day.

"He remembers better than me," Pochettino said. "Because he said to me yesterday it was Jan. 16, 2005. He told me yesterday! A five o'clock kickoff, three o'clock is siesta. He remembers very well.

"And I said there is only one thing that I remember -- 'You didn't score!' He said, 'Yes, it's true, I didn't score.' It's unbelievable."

Pochettino added: "He will bring to the team and the squad great experience -- he won the World Cup with Spain. When you saw him in training from day one it was like a 16- or 17-year-old going to training with the first team for the first time.

"That is massive because that energy is fantastic and a very good example for everyone. He is a very good person and at Swansea last season he scored 15 goals. He can repeat the same with us. We really believe he can help us to achieve the things we want to achieve."

Chelsea have a history of foiling Tottenham in the transfer market, notably signing Willian after he had undergone a medical in North London, and the Premier League champions were the favourites to sign Llorente before being beaten.

Pochettino was reluctant to explain how the tables had been turned, but said Llorente -- who is the oldest player he has signed in three years at Spurs -- was too good an opportunity to miss.

"The most important thing for me is that we got the player that we wanted," he said. "And it was fantastic that he decided to join us. Now we need to add his characteristics to the team. But it is not for me to analyse that situation or to say why we are now getting players who should be going to Chelsea.

"It is about opportunity in the market. You have different profiles in your head, different names and then you can [get them] or you cannot. You have to be flexible in your ideas. I said I wanted a minimum three signings and I was right.

"It is true that balance is most important. Not all experienced players can bring what Fernando can bring to the team. It is not because you are 32 or 33 that you are great. Sometimes you are 33 and struggle but Fernando was a fantastic profile and when we had the possibility to sign him we moved very quickly."

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