Marcos Llorente Reveals How Alvaro Morata Convinced Him to Join Atletico Madrid
Marcos Llorente has revealed why he chose to join Atletico Madrid this summer, claiming that his Spanish teammate Alvaro Morata helped him make his decision.
After receiving limited opportunities at Real Madrid last season, Llorente opted to leave for city rivals Atletico this summer, a move that Morata supported.
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"He encouraged me to come and told me I'd be very happy here," Llorente told Marca when asked about how Morata had influenced his final decision.
Already Atletico have shown how highly they rate the 24-year-old, handing him the number 14 shirt, previously worn by manager Diego Simeone, as well as club legend Gabi and the impressive Rodri, who appears to be closing in on a switch to Manchester City.
However, Llorente does not appear fazed by taking the iconic shirt.
"I'm proud to wear it, but I'm here to make my own path and leave my own mark," he said.
Reflecting on his time at Real Madrid, the club that he joined at the age of 13 back in 2008, the midfielder made it clear that he would look back on his days at Los Blancos positively.
"I can't say a bad word about Madrid. I'll always have fond memories," he said.
Llorente was part of Real's Champions League winning side back in 2017/18, though he only made one appearance in the group stage that season, as he struggled to establish himself in Zinedine Zidane's team.
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He was also limited to just seven games in La Liga for the side last season, and with Zidane now back at the helm and bringing in a number of high-profile names during this transfer window, Llorente realised that his future lay elsewhere, prompting his departure to Atletico.
