Chelsea’s long-term interest in Swansea striker Fernando Llorente is on the verge of coming to a successful end as they close in on a £15m deal.Antonio Conte is an admirer of the Spaniard, who he worked with him while at Juventus, and is eager to bring him in to boost his attacking options.Daily Telegraph journalist Matt Law revealed on Twitter on Wednesday morning that a deal to bring Llorente to Stamford Bridge could be done and dusted by the end of the day after overnight talks.

However, reports in MailOnline claim that Swansea will only sanction the move once they’ve secured the return of Wilfried Bony from Manchester City.

Talks to bring Bony back to the Liberty Stadium are ongoing as the Swans hope to secure a £13m deal before the Thursday’s deadline.

Do Chelsea need Llorente?

Chelsea’s move for Llorente does make sense but it certainly represents a downgrade from Diego Costa.

Costa’s exile and imminent Stamfrod Bridge exit would leave Conte short of strike options, with just Michy Batshuayi and new summer signing Alvaro Morata left on the books as natural first-team strikers.

While Llorente was instrumental in Swansea’s survival in the Premier League last season, netting 15 goals, he is no longer a spring chicken at 32-years-old and goes against the Blues’ well known policy of not signing players above the age of 30.

If they do, these deals typically last for just one year, although a £15m move for a 32-year-old expected to be around for just 12 months doesn’t particularly represent great business on paper.

But if he scores important goals and helps the Blues retain their Premier League crown, this kind of deal would undoubtedly prove to be a shrewd bit of business in the end. Only time will tell.