London (AFP) – Former Spanish international striker Fernando Llorente may miss the start of Swansea’s Premier League campaign after breaking his arm, club manager Paul Clement said Wednesday.
The 32-year-old forward — whose 15 goals last season played a crucial role in Swansea retaining their Premier League status — has his arm in a brace and will miss the pre-season tour of the United States.
The former Juventus and Athletic Bilbao marksman broke his arm falling off a bicycle on holiday in Italy.
“This is a period where we have to be very careful that Fernando is not moving the arm,” Clement told the club website.
“It’s difficult to know at this stage exactly when he will be fit to play.
“There is a chance that he could make the first game of the season, but I don’t think he will be in the kind of shape the rest of the squad will be in because they will have done six weeks (of training) and he potentially will only have done two.
“We have to see. It’s not impossible that he could be ready for the start of the season (they are away at Southampton on August 12).”
Clement said an X-ray on Monday had at least yielded some good news for Llorente, who was a member of the Spain squad that won the 2010 World Cup.
“He had another X-ray on Monday which showed the bone is healing well,” said Clement.
