Mauricio Pochettino’s top ten signings at Tottenham
By Gary Pearson
9. Fernando Llorente — Signed August 31, 2017
Had this piece been written four months ago, Fernando Llorente’s omission would have been assured, such is the staggering impact the Spaniard made in the latter stages of the 2018/19 season.
The congenial Spaniard joined Spurs for £15 million on August 31, 2017 from Swansea. His first campaign was blighted by inconsistency and missed opportunities. He was on the outside looking in, and was, beside Moussa Sissoko, Enemy No. 1 at Hotspur Way.
The tumult and adversity he faced in 2017-18 is exactly what makes Llorente’s recovery all the more remarkable. Llorente scored a number of vital goals, including the eventual winner against Manchester City in the second leg of the Champions League quarterfinal. While he only scored a single goal in 20 Premier League appearances last season, the lone marker came at the death against Watford to earn his side maximum points. His performance in Amsterdam against Ajax in the second half of the Champions League semifinal was, on its own, good enough to earn him a place on this list. His knack for saving his best performances for the biggest games endeared him to every Spurs supporter.