Athletic Bilbao coach Marcelo Bielsa has insisted that he wants striker Fernando Llorente to stay at the Spanish club.
The Chilean also says that the decision not to play the 27-year-old regularly this season is a sporting one and not a move to force him to sign a new contract.
"I would be happy if I could do something about Llorente," he told Terra.es. "I would love him to stay with Athletic Bilbao for the rest of his career.
"It is a sincere and legitimate stance we are taking and definitely not blackmail."
Llorente has said that he wants to leave Bilbao once his current contract runs out at the end of the season.
