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Four years after leaving Juventus following a superb spell in Turin, Alvaro Morata was brought back to the club in 2020 by Andrea Pirlo and co as they looked to bolster their attacking options.
The Spaniard enjoyed his time alongside the likes of Paulo Dybala, Paul Pogba, and other Bianconeri stars between 2014 and 1016, helping them reach a UEFA Champions League final and scoring in the semi-finals against his former club, Real Madrid.
Despite the Blancos being impressed by his displays and bringing him back to the Santiago Bernabeu, Morata only remained at the club for one season before leaving for Chelsea, and then to Atletico Madrid. Amidst rumours of Juventus' interest in Edin Dzeko, Juventus returned for their former star last summer and sealed a loan move for Morata to satisfy Andrea Pirlo's request for a striker.
Morata has been in excellent form for the Italian champions, scoring eight and setting up nine in Serie A with a further six goals in the UEFA Champions League. However, since there has been no official update on whether Juventus will choose to trigger the 28-year-old's €45m purchase clause, his future remains up in the air.
On that note, here are five strikers who could replace him if Juventus fail to extend Morata's stay in Turin.
5 Strikers who can replace Alvaro Morata at Juventus
#5 Arkadiusz Milik | Olympique Marseille
Juventus have long admired Polish striker Arkadiusz Milik. The centre-forward, formerly of Napoli, was linked with a move to the Allianz Stadium for quite a while before his eventual move to Olympique Marseille. In his 93 games in Serie A prior to his move, Milik contributed with 38 goals and two assists for the Partonopei.
The 27-year-old has endured a mixed season as he's managed four goals and an assist in ten league games for sixth-placed Les Olympiens so far, but it is pertinent to note that he only moved in January. Milik could be a suitable and financially viable replacement for Morata this summer.
The Pole reportedly has a clause in his contract that could see him leave the club should they fail to qualify for the UCL next season, which could make matters easier should Juventus wish to sign him.
#4 Dusan Vlahovic | Fiorentina
Dusan Vlahovic is the latest Serie A sensation to have garnered interest from some of the biggest clubs in Europe. The striker has been mighty impressive for Fiorentina this season, scoring 16 goals and setting up a further three for Giuseppe Iachini's men in Serie A. Such impressive numbers in the top-flight have attracted interest from Juventus as they look to bolster their attacking options.
Vlahovic received immense praise from one of Serie A's all-time greats, Christian Vieiri, who said on the Viola striker;
"I think that after [Erling] Haaland and [Kylian] Mbappe he is one of the strongest in Europe, a center forward like that. Do you remember the goal against Inter? He has quality, technique."
Vlahovic could be an excellent addition to Juventus in the present as well as for the future. Given that Cristiano Ronaldo is already 36, the Viola star could be a long-term solution in attack for Juventus as he is just 21 years of age and could get even better.
Also read: 5 clubs Cristiano Ronaldo could join after Juventus
#3 Sergio Aguero | Manchester City
Manchester City legend Sergio Aguero is set to leave the Etihad on a free transfer come summer, and some of Europe's elite — including Juventus and Barcelona — are believed to be tabs on the striker. Widely regarded as one of the best centre-forwards of his generation, Aguero is more experienced than anyone else on this list and is a finished product that can deliver for the Bianconeri from the get-go.
The 32-year-old will be available on a free transfer, which makes him an excellent option due to Juventus' financial situation.
Although he would be a short-term solution, Aguero's pedigree is nearly unmatched among players available in the market, and he could potentially form a prolific partnership with Cristiano Ronaldo.
#2 Erling Haaland | Borussia Dortmund
Norwegian superstar Erling Haaland is the name on every top European club's wishlist heading into the summer transfer window. The 20-year-old Borussia Dortmund striker has arguably been one of the best centre-forwards in world football since the start of last season, scoring at an astonishing rate on all fronts. He's scored 51 times and set up a further 14 in just 55 games for BVB.
Juventus were tipped to be one of the clubs keeping an eye on his situation should he leave Dortmund. In fact, the Bianconeri were among three other sides who came close to signing Haaland before his Dortmund move, along with Manchester United and RB Leipzig.
They are also on good terms with his notorious super-agent Mino Raiola, which could help them sign Haaland in the future.
#1 Mauro Icardi | Paris Saint-Germain
Much like other strikers on this list, Juventus have had a long-standing interest in Argentine star Mauro Icardi. The 28-year-old is currently on Paris Saint-Germain's books but is reportedly pushing for an exit from Les Parisiens, paving the way for a potential transfer this summer. The ex-Inter captain has had a mixed season so far as he's scored six times in 16 Ligue 1 games, and is yet to score in the UCL.
Icardi's vast experience and knowledge of Serie A makes him an excellent choice for Juventus. The former Barcelona academy graduate is Inter's seventh-highest scorer in their illustrious history, racking up 124 goals in 219 appearances. Between 2014 and 2018, Icardi breached the 20-goal barrier in the league three times, including a stunning 29-goal campaign.
Although he hasn't hit those incredible heights in a couple of years now, at 28, Icardi still has time to turn his career around and could be a superb option to lead Juventus' attack should they lose Alvaro Morata.
Also read: 5 players who you didn’t know graduated from Real Madrid's academy
