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Diego Llorente’s four-year spell at Leeds United came to an end when he completed a permanent move to Real Betis earlier this month.

The defender spent the last 18 months away from Leeds, on loan at AS Roma.

ABC Sevilla have had a detailed chat with the centre-back where he expressed his disappointment over Leeds’ failure to secure promotion back to the Premier League.

The Whites came close, losing the playoff final against Southampton.

Llorente mentioned this when asked if he would recommend Real Betis sign Leeds’ Junior Firpo this summer.

The Andalusian club have already signed the former Real Sociedad man and Marc Roca from Daniel Farke’s side, and are looking at the left-back.

Last Tuesday, we covered claims from Spain that Real Betis initiated contact with the Whites for the 27-year-old. Three days later, Mucho Deporte reported Manuel Pellegrini’s side have made advances to try and sign the fullback.

When ABC Sevilla asked Llorente about the possibility of Real Betis signing Junior, he said: “I was sad that they didn’t get promoted because they were very close to returning to the Premier League.

“Beyond that I can only have good things to say about him. We all know him and we know what Junior is capable of. Going away has made him improve, it makes you stronger.”

The newspaper asked the Spaniard to detail his Premier League experience, and Llorente said: “The experience in the Premier League clearly enriches you. It makes you improve day by day. It is another type of training. Physically you have to deal with stronger and faster players but you adapt. In all matches you must have a very high level of alertness.

“You learn a lot from these leagues, as has also happened to me in Italy. I have evolved. Now I have to adapt to the Spanish league again because I have been away for four years, but with experience I feel that I have improved.”