Leeds United's recent defensive signing Diego Llorente has suffered a groin injury whilst on international duty with Spain, although the full extent of his setback is as yet unknown.

The 27-year-old arrived at Elland Road in the summer transfer window from La Liga outfit Real Sociedad but he is yet to make his debut for the Yorkshire club.

Adding to Marcelo Bielsa's defensive options, the former Real Madrid youngster started for Spain against Portugal in a recent international friendly, adding to his previous five international caps.

Providing competition to the likes of Robin Koch and Liam Cooper at the heart of the Whites' defence, Llorente may have been handed a chance when the Premier League returns next weekend, but the defender has now suffered a setback.

Diego Llorente injury latest

In an official statement on the Spanish national team's website, the 27-year-old is said to have suffered a muscle injury in training and will miss out on the upcoming Nations League match against Ukraine on Tuesday.

MOT Leeds News went into further detail on the injury suffered by Llorente, adding an image of the defender as he appeared to be holding his groin.

It is not yet confirmed for how long Llorente could be ruled out and it is likely that doctors involved with Spain and Leeds will jointly provide an assessment.

Does Diego Llorente warrant the £18m spent on him by Bielsa?

The Spanish defender certainly has plenty of experience, having played for Real Madrid, Malaga and Real Sociedad prior to his arrival at Elland Road. He featured in 29 La Liga matches for the Basque outfit last season, with an average WhoScored match rating of 6.51.

One issue which could arise in the coming years for Llorente at Leeds is his frustrating pattern of muscle injuries during his career, and Bielsa will hope that his £18m investment is not one fraught with injury interruptions in the months and years ahead.

Do you think Llorente should be a starter for Leeds? Let us know your views in the comments section below...