Leeds United conceded their fair share of goals during the latest Premier League campaign. With 38 games played, the Whites ended up conceding 79 goals, leaving only Norwich City with a worse defensive record.
Despite this unwelcome statistic, the Yorkshire club managed to keep their place in the Premier League, unlike the Canaries.
One figure in Leeds’ squad that helped keep the club in the top division is Diego Llorente. Signed from Real Sociedad back in September 2020 in a deal worth £18m, the Spaniard has made 45 appearances for the Whites across all competitions.
Last season saw the centre-back win 35 tackles and make 61 blocks, 61 interceptions and 104 clearances in 28 league games. With that in mind, it’s safe to suggest that had Llorente not been as prominent in the team as he was, Leeds may not have been able to avoid relegation.