Poch sees Llorente as key signing

MAURICIO POCHETTINO is convinced Fernando Llorente is the man to transform Tottenham’s nearly men into trophy winners.

Spurs pipped Chelsea for the Swansea striker, 32, in a £12m deadline-day swoop.

Llorente (below) helped Spain win the World Cup in 2010 and the Euros two years later and also has a hat-trick of Serie A titles from his time at Juventus.

His surprise arrival as an alternative to Harry Kane has pushed Vincent Janssen through the exit door with a loan move to Turkish giants Fenerbahce.

Pochettino has backed Llorente to bag far more goals than Janssen’s paltry return of six last term and admits his Spurs stars are excited by the new arrival.

“We really believe he can help us to achieve the things we want to achieve,” said the manager ahead of today’s trip to Everton.

“Hugo Lloris was with his national team and sent a text to me saying, ‘Gaffer, it’s true about Llorente?’

“I said, ‘Yes, we sign Llorente’. He said, ‘Wow, fantastic player’.

“All the players respect him. And then they start to meet him, how he is. He is very warm, very friendly. It was fantastic. It’s a big impact for our changing room.

“In training from day one it was like a 16 or 17-year-old going to training with the first team for the first time.

“That is massive because that energy is fantastic and a very good example for everyone.

“At Swansea last season he scored 15 goals. He can do the same with us.”

It’s not the first time Pochettino’s path has crossed with Llorente.

The big striker made his Athletic Bilbao debut against Espanyol, who had Pochettino in their defence.

The Argentine said: “He remembers it better than me. It was January 16 2005 – he told me yesterday.

“And I said, ‘There is only one thing that I remember – you didn’t score’.”