Juventus not giving up on January move for Llorente

The Primera Division side announced on Thursday that the Serie A champions have opened talks with the striker over a free transfer once his contract with Athletic expires in June.

However, the latest developments do not mean that Juventus have accepted that a transfer in January is out of the question.

The Old Lady recently saw a €4 million offer for the 27-year-old turned down by his current club, but they are now preparing a €7m bid to test Athletic's resolve.

Juventus are desperate to add a high-profile striker to their squad this winter, and Llorente could be their only remaining high-profile alternative after players such as Robert Lewandowski (Borussia Dortmund) and former Chelsea star Didier Drogba were seemingly ruled out.