He started his career with Athletic Bilbao, working his way through the various youth ranks and, after making his first team debut in 2005, becoming one of the most important offensive players for the club in the following decade.

Subsequently, he spent 2015–16 back in Spain with Sevilla before moving to Swansea City in 2016 and Tottenham Hotspur the following year, reaching the 2019 Champions League final with the latter.

Llorente spent several seasons in the various junior levels of the club, playing alongside Fernando Amorebieta[8] and moving to their farm team Basconia in Tercera División in 2003.

His form led to him becoming Athletic's first-choice forward, and although he started the campaign poorly, he ended it with a total of 11 league goals as the side finished in mid-table.

[33] Between January and February 2012, Llorente scored five goals in two away matches in only four days: he started with a hat-trick in a 3–2 win against Rayo Vallecano,[34] and added two in a 2–1 defeat of Mirandés in the Spanish Cup semi-finals.

[4] Following a 2–0 Basque derby loss at Real Sociedad on 29 September, in which he was a late substitute, he got into an argument with manager Marcelo Bielsa; two days later he walked out of training early and was sent to practice with the youth squad[43] and, as a result, his relationship with the club's supporters and president Josu Urrutia further deteriorated.

[54] Llorente found the net in his second and third ever appearances in the UEFA Champions League, both times against Real Madrid in the 2013–14 group stage (a 2–1 away loss, and a 2–2 home draw).

[58] Llorente's first two goals of 2014 came on 12 January, from a header and from close range as Juventus defeated Cagliari 4–1 away to extend their winning league run to 11 matches.

[77][78] He made his debut for the club on 13 September, replacing Harry Kane for the last minutes of a 3–1 home win over Borussia Dortmund in the Champions League group stage.

[79] He made his first start in the EFL Cup tie against Barnsley on 20 September,[80] then played in the Champions League group stage match at Real Madrid which ended 1–1.

[81] Llorente scored his first goal for Spurs on 6 December 2017, playing the full 90 minutes in the 3–0 Champions League win over APOEL after his team had already progressed to the knockout stage as group winners.

[91] In the second leg of the semi-final away to Ajax, he replaced Victor Wanyama at half time and played a crucial role in helping his team come back from a three-goal aggregate deficit to make it 3–3 and progress again in the same fashion.

[98][99] He made his league debut against Sampdoria on 14 September, where he provided an assist for Dries Mertens within minutes of coming on as a substitute to help the team win 2–0.

[100] His first goal for the club came three days later in the Champions League group stage game against Liverpool, scoring in injury time to seal a 2–0 victory.

[101] Llorente continued to be used in the 'super-sub' role, as was previously the case at Tottenham; although he was rarely started, he was often brought on in the second half of matches, to cause problems for tiring opposition defences with his physical presence.

[107] Llorente represented Spain at the 2005 FIFA World Youth Championship, his five goals winning him the silver boot as the competition's second highest scorer.

[109] On 14 November 2008, senior national team manager Vicente del Bosque called Llorente up for a friendly against Chile;[110] he was brought on as a substitute in the 72nd minute of the 3–0 win.

He was, however, selected for the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa as third-choice striker, where he played in one match for the eventual champions, the last thirty minutes of the 1–0 round of 16 defeat of Portugal.

[114] On 8 October 2010, benefiting from an injury to Fernando Torres, Llorente started in a Euro 2012 qualifier against Lithuania in Salamanca, scoring with two headers in a 3–1 win.

[119] He also represented the unofficial Basque Country team five times, making his debut against Cameroon in 2005 and scoring once against Catalonia at the Camp Nou the following year.

[120] A tall, large, and physically powerful player, Llorente's main traits were his heading ability and strength in the air, which enabled him to function effectively as a target-man in the centre of his team's attacking line.