Llorente set to miss Southampton trip

Fernando Llorente is set to miss Swansea City’s season-opener at Southampton but is making progress in his recovery from a broken arm.

Llorente suffered the fracture in a cycling accident while he was on holiday during the summer break.

Last season’s 15-goal Liberty top scorer was given an outside chance of being fit for the opening-day trip to St Mary’s.

Boss Paul Clement has now conceded that Llorente will almost certainly be absent when the Swans go to the South Coast.

Llorente may also be sidelined for the first home game of the season, against Manchester United on August 19, but he is edging closer to a return to fill training.

“Fernando’s rehabilitating individually – he has not joined the team training yet,” Clement said.

“But assuming all goes well, we anticipate that happening in the next 10 days.

“I think it is unlikely he will be involved in the first couple of games, but his return will not be long after that.”

Llorente was a key figure for the Swans last season, as he scored 15 goals to help the club avoid relegation from the Premier League.

But Clement has anticipated for some time that the 32-year-old would not be ready for the beginning of 2017-18.

“It was always going to be touch and go for the start of the season,” he added.

“The most important thing is that we get the arm right. You don’t want him to refracture it and then end up with Fernando needing surgery, because a six-week injury can then become a six-month injury.”