Leeds United 'turn down' transfer bid from La Liga side for experienced defender

Leeds United have turned down a bid from Real Betis for defender Diego Llorente according to BBC Radio Leeds. Llorente has spent the past 18 months on loan at Roma, playing 54 times for the Serie A outfit.

But La Liga side Real Betis, who have already signed Marc Roca from the Whites this summer, are keen to add Llorente to their ranks. Reports in Spain suggest the club hope to have wrapped up a deal for Llorente in time for the start of pre-season on July 8.

A report in Mucho Deporte says Betis are trying to thrash out transfer fee and payment method with United to sign the centre-back. It has been claimed that the fee could be around €4.5m but Llorente is pushing for a long-term contract.

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The Spanish international moved to Elland Road from Real Sociedad in an £18million deal in 2020. He featured 59 times for the club in the Premier League but was a part of last summer’s mass exodus at Elland Road following their relegation to the second tier of English football.

The 30-year-old endured a mixed spell in Italy as Roma reached the Europa League semi-final, although he was left on the bench for both legs. Roma, who finished sixth in Serie A, decided against triggering their option to buy Llorente, opening up the door for a move back to his homeland.

As exclusively revealed by Leeds Live yesterday, the Whites rejected a £30m offer from Brighton and Hove Albion for forward Georginio Rutter. The Frenchman, one of their standout performers last term, has four years left on his contract.