‘I signed for Swansea City in shock move and was surprised how fans treated us’

Speaking about his career in south Wales, Fernando Llorente outlines his success at the Liberty Stadium and Snoop Dogg’s investment

Former Swansea City striker Fernando Llorente is hoping his old side can make a return to the Premier League, eight years on from their relegation to the Championship.

Arriving at the Liberty Stadium in the summer of 2016, Llorente would spend a single season in south Wales after signing in a shock deal, helping the club survive relegation, scoring 15 Premier League goals in the process.

Llorente’s notorious injury-time double to clinch a 5-4 win at home to Crystal Palace is a memory Swans fans will always cherish. The World Cup winner would depart at the start of the 2017/18 season for Tottenham, following his superb campaign in SA1.

Reflecting positively on his time at Swansea, Llorente, who was signed on Francesco Guidolin’s watch, said this single season in Landore was one of the best years of his career.

“Wonderful memories, first because it was my debut season in the Premier League and I played as a starter, many games, being important and decisive,” he told Hajper.

“It didn’t go well at the beginning. After the seventh game against City he (Guidolin) was sacked, the game where I scored my first goal, just when I was starting to feel good. Then I got injured in that match (I had fractured a rib in the previous game after a clash with Virgil van Dijk) and missed about a month. Bob Bradley arrived.

“When I came back from injury I had to fight for my place again. Things still didn’t go well and we changed coach again. But then we finished the season flying. In the second half of the season we played at an incredible level, from being bottom and everyone writing us off, we ended up 12th or 13th. In the last five games we won four and drew one. Incredible.”

One thing that Llorente reminisces over from the 2016/16 season is his relationship with the Swans fans – something he says surprised him in comparison to supporters in Spain.

“I was very surprised by how the fans treated us when we were practically relegated — with so much love and support, no shouting, no bad words,” he explained. “In Spain if you’re in that situation, they kill you. So you see two different cultures.”

“I haven’t been back since I left and I’d love to. It’s a place where I felt very loved,” Llorente added.

Llorente was a part of the side that escaped relegation, having been bottom of the Premier League, a time in his career Llorente looks back on fondly.

Despite Llorente suffering a broken rib, which ruled him out for a month, he still scored 15 goals in a struggling side.

But even with these setbacks and difficulties, Llorente said it was a shame to have only spent a year at the Liberty and was full of hope for the Swans’ future – especially with a certain US rapper on board.

“In the end we gave our best in that final part of the season,” he added. “It’s a shame I only stayed one year. In the summer I had offers from Chelsea (Antonio Conte, who I had played with at Juventus) but at the last moment Tottenham came in and, because Chelsea and Swansea couldn’t agree, I went to Tottenham.

“I hope Snoop Dogg helps them build a great team and great group so they can get promoted,” he added.

“For the club and the city, it would be incredible. I hope they return to the Premier League.”