What’s the story?
Alvaro Morata has reportedly set sights on joining Chelsea in the summer. The Spanish international has told his friends that he wants to leave Real Madrid and move to the Premier League.
The Spaniard is in search of regular first-team football, and Los Blancos are ready to sell the 24-year-old. Zidane and Morata have had disagreements more often than not this season and with the Frenchman prefers Karim Benzema over Alvaro.
In case you didn’t know...
Chelsea are looking to sign a replacement for Diego Costa, who had reportedly agreed on a move to the Chinese side, Tijan Quanjian in the summer. The Chinese Super League side made a bid for the Chelsea front man in January, but the proposal was rejected by The Blues' straight away.
Costa was looking to leave Chelsea last summer as well and was keen on rejoining Atletico Madrid. The London side managed to convince him to stay, and now he is leading them from the front to Premier League glory.
Premier League table toppers, Chelsea tried to sign Morata in the summer as well, but Madrid rejected their bid. Morata also has confirmed that Antonio Conte tried to lure him during the summer transfer window.
Chelsea reportedly made a £70 million bid for him. The former Juventus striker also confirmed that the deal would have made him the most expensive Spanish footballer ever – surpassing the £50 million Chelsea paid to land Fernando Torres' from Liverpool in 2011.
The heart of the matter
Morata has made just 14 appearances for Real Madrid in the league this season of which as many as eight have been off the bench. The striker has completed 90 minutes just twice in his 24 games for Real Madrid in all competitions this season.
The Spaniard feels he has been let down by Zidane who promised him a lot more when the striker came back from his loan spell at Juventus. He has scored 10 times in his 24 appearances for the club this season but still, is overlooked most of the time.
Chelsea face competition from Juventus and Arsenal for the striker. The Old Lady were looking to keep him at the club following his impressive loan spell but were helpless because of Madrid's buy-back clause.
Arsenal fans have been calling for Wenger to a prolific striker to put pressure on Olivier Giroud, but the manager only managed to snap up Danny Welbeck and Lucas Perez - they have been injured a lot and when they do get a chance, they have done nothing to take the starting XI position from the Frenchman.
Wenger has been forced to player Alexis Sanchez up front to cover things up but will finally spend if Morata is available. The Arsenal manager is said to be a huge fan of the Spaniard and has been keeping an eye on him for a long time.
What’s next?
Chelsea are expected to make a big-money offer for Morata in the summer and are favourites to land the striker. Los Blancos are interested in signing Thibaut Courtois and Eden Hazard and might add the striker in one of the bids as a sweetener.
Sportskeeda’s Take
Morata would be a great signing for Chelsea, but it would be interesting to see how quick he can adapt to the Premier League. Arsenal and Juventus will push Chelsea will the very end but might lose out because of The Blues’ financial power.
