Spurs may have handed themselves a Champions League lifeline thanks to the talismanic Harry Kane doing a double over PSV Eindhoven in a thrilling Wembley encounter but the Lilywhites still know there’s a mountain to climb to progress through to the knock-out stages of the competition.
Currently sitting in third place in Group B, replays with Internazionale and five-time winners Barcelona - at the Nou Camp no less - await.
This, combined with the lack of playing time he has had to endure since making the move to the Tottenham, is why the door is firmly open for forward Fernando Llorente to leave the club in the next January transfer window.
A January move to La Liga side Athletic Bilbao seems the Spaniard’s likely destination, reports The Independent, returning to the club he spent eight successful years at between 2005 and 2013.
With his contract expiring in the summer, the 33-year-old is free to talk to other clubs in January, but the move could be pushed completely forward to the January transfer window, due to presidential elections taking place at Athletic.
Llorente has spent a frustrating year at Spurs since moving from Swansea City. He has resigned himself to occasional fleeting cup appearances and has registered just six goals in 37 appearances. This includes just 18 Premier League appearances, 17 of them from coming off the bench.
Spurs manager Mauricio Pochettino may rue letting Llorente leave. If the striker does indeed depart, the injured - and much-maligned - Vincent Janssen would be the only recognised striker to provide back up to Kane.
