Fernando Llorente chose Tottenham because he believes in the project, says captain Hugo Lloris

Striking addition | Fernando Llorente
Alex Livesey/Getty Images
Jonathan Hunn13 September 2017

Tottenham captain Hugo Lloris believes serial-winner Fernando Llorente can add vital experience to the club’s Champions League campaign, starting with tonight’s match at Wembley Stadium.

Deadline-day signing Llorente, 32, is expected to make his Spurs debut from the bench against Borussia Dortmund and Lloris said: “Fernando is a great man.

“From the beginning, it’s like he’s been here for a while. He’s very respectful and you can feel that he is here to be involved, to help the team reach something. There is a real project at Tottenham and if he signed for us it’s because he believes in it.

“He’s going to bring a lot to a young team. He is a World Cup winner, a Euro 2012 winner, he’s got a lot of experience for Juventus and he had a great season with Swansea - he helped save them [from relegation]. The new players are going to bring a new edge to the squad and this is what we needed... it’s like a second wind.

“It’s never easy in July and August when you start competing and the market is still open. There are a lot of rumours and it can affect the team. Now everything is perfect.”

In Pictures | Tottenham train ahead of Dortmund game | 12/09/2017

1/16

Llorente will play understudy to Harry Kane, who scored a double at Everton on Saturday, but the England striker said: “Fernando’s been a fantastic addition.

Harry Kane: I need to prove myself on the biggest stage

“I can learn a lot from him. It’s great to have that experience in the changing room and just to be able to talk to him is a good learning curve for me.”