Fernando Llorente: 'Joining Chelsea in January was too difficult'

A general view inside the ground prior to the Barclays Premier League match between Swansea City and Southampton at Liberty Stadium on May 3, 2014
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Fernando Llorente acknowledges that swapping Swansea City for Chelsea in January was never going to be likely, as teams are reluctant to sell their key players.

Swansea City striker Fernando Llorente has confirmed that Chelsea were interested in signing him during the January transfer window, but says that completing a move was 'too difficult'.

The Spanish World Cup winner recently saw his name linked with a switch to the Blues, who are now under the management of his former Juventus boss Antonio Conte.

Llorente insists that he is now "very focused" on helping Swansea in their bid to secure Premier League safety, having scored eight goals in 21 top-flight appearances so far for the Welsh outfit.

"I already know Conte from Juventus," he is quoted as saying by The Mirror. "But it's difficult in the winter when there's a way out from a side you're playing for and it's normal that they didn't go ahead with the deal.

"I'm very focused on the team and am looking forward to helping save us from relegation. The last few games I've been happy with as we've gotten away from the bottom. It will be a very tough fight, though, and we hope to get further ahead when we face Leicester in a final next Sunday."

Swansea, who also kept hold of star player Gylfi Sigurdsson last month, have seen their fortunes improve under new boss Paul Clement and are currently outside the relegation zone.

Paul Clement manager of Derby County looks on prior to the Sky Bet Championship match between Nottingham Forest and Derby County at City Ground on November 6, 2015
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Tables
TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
1Chelsea24192351173459
2Tottenham HotspurSpurs25148346182850
3Arsenal25155554282650
4Liverpool25147454302449
5Manchester CityMan City24154549292049
6Manchester UnitedMan Utd25139338211748
7Everton25118640271341
8West Bromwich AlbionWest Brom2510783431337
9Stoke CityStoke258893036-632
10West Ham UnitedWest Ham2595113443-932
11Southampton2586112831-330
12Watford2586112942-1330
13Burnley2492132635-929
14Bournemouth2475123547-1226
15Middlesbrough25410111927-822
16Leicester CityLeicester2456132441-1721
17Swansea CitySwansea2463152954-2521
18Hull City2555152249-2720
19Crystal Palace2554163246-1419
20Sunderland2554162446-2219