Spanish defender Diego Llorente discussed his return on loan to Roma from Leeds United.
In an interview with Radio Radio, Llorente spoke about his desire to play for Roma beyond the expiry of last season’s loan.
Earlier in June Llorente was signed on another dry loan after completing a six-month spell in the second half of last season.
“I think things are going well,” Llorente said, referring to Roma’s pre-season training camp in Portugal. “We are reaching our goals. There is still a long way to go but we know where to intervene to improve. We still have one more friendly match left but overall things are looking up.”
“I wanted to continue here. No definitive agreement has been found for a permanent move, but I’m not worried about it because my desire was to come back and play here,” added Llorente.
“My relationship with Mourinho influenced my decision, but many other factors influenced me just the same. It was my decision that I took personally considering the coach, the club and also the teammates who welcomed me right away. I didn’t have to think too much about it.”
“I already knew Mourinho from my time at Real Madrid where I often trained with the first team. He is a very direct person who knows how to convey what he wants to the players.”
“I think our team is stronger than it was last season. The teammates who have arrived, myself for another season, we all want contribute to improving the squad. We are a team with great potential. We are working towards being a better team.”
“Lorenzo Pellegrini? He is a footballer who with his work and his quality is an example for young players and for all of us who follow him as a leader, we must emulate his intensity. Then there are times when you need to raise your voice and be heard in the locker room and it’s a task he performs positively. He’s the perfect captain.”
“Personally, wherever I’ve been at the beginning of the season, I’ve never liked to set goals for myself or the team. The key to achieving them, whether it’s fighting for a title or conquering a position for the Champions League, is to think game after game. If right now we start thinking about where we could be at the end of the season, I think we’re making a mistake. You don’t have to think in the long term but match by match.”
