Athletic Bilbao and Spain forward Fernando Llorente is prepared to sign for Juventus n July, the Serie A leaders' sporting director said on Monday.
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The Italian champions have long been searching for a main stricker and talks with Bilbao and Llorente have been going on for weeks with the option of signing the 27-year-old in January now unlikely.
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'' I'm optimistic on his contract. In any case, he will join Juventus on July 1 '', Juventus sporting director Beppe Marotta told Italian radio.
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Llorente, a tall and powerful stricker known as 'The Lion King' for his mane of blood hair, has barely featured for Bilbao since announcing his intention to leave when his contract ends in June.