'Should've signed him in January', 'I beg': Some Spurs fans react as club tweets popular striker

By Giuseppe Labellarte

A number of Tottenham Hotspur fans have taken to Twitter to comment on Spurs’ social media post wishing Fernando Llorente a happy birthday.

Llorente spent two years at Tottenham, joining under Mauricio Pochettino’s watch from Swansea in the summer of 2017 before departing last summer on a free transfer and joining Napoli.

The 35-year-old proved a superb deputy in Harry Kane’s absence last season, with eight goals and five assists in all competitions, despite just 11 starts (Transfermarkt).

Llorente also etched his name in Tottenham’s run to the Champions League final with the goal against Manchester City and the knockdown for Lucas Moura’s thrilling hat-trick goal against Ajax.

(Photo by Chris Brunskill/Fantasista/Getty Images)

But more than that, the Spaniard was simply a superb back-up option, his height and aerial ability offering a concrete plan B and with no qualms about the role he was playing.

However, Spurs failed to hang on to Llorente, and even reports suggesting a January return (The Mirror, 16 January, page 54) proved wide of the mark.

With Tottenham now in the midst of a crisis up front, with the injured Kane and Son Heung-min unable to be called upon by Jose Mourinho, plenty of Spurs fans reacted to the post with a heavy heart.

Here is some of the social media reaction: