'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
When Juventus signed Alvaro Morata on loan from Atletico Madrid, with a view to a permanent deal, eyebrows were raised. Desperately in need of a goalscorer to ease the burden on Cristiano Ronaldo, Juventus had been heavily linked with signing the prolific Edin Dzeko or Luis Suarez.
However, when neither of those deals materialised, they turned to Morata who had previously enjoyed two seasons on loan at the club between 2014 and 2016. During that time the Spaniard had made 93 appearances, scored 27 goals, won two league and cup doubles, and been a runner-up in the UEFA Champions League.
Since returning to Real Madrid for the 2016-17 season, the trophies had continued to pile up for the Spaniard. His collection is impressive, with Morata having two Champions League crowns, four domestic league titles, and domestic cups in Spain, Italy and England to his name.
Trending
The goals have continued to come at a rate of approximately one every three games and on paper, the Spaniard is enjoying a remarkable career.
And yet doubts persisted. Despite his relative success at Real Madrid, he was never able to establish himself as a first team regular and was unable to dislodge the consistently excellent Karim Benzema.
That facilitated a move to English side Chelsea, where he enjoyed a bright start scoring seven goals in his first nine appearances for the club. However, he would only score a further 17 in the next 63.
Speaking about his time at Chelsea to Goal after completing an 18-month loan deal to Atletico Madrid, Morata opened up about his loss of confidence during his time in England,
"I had lost confidence in myself previously. I was very upset by the opinion of the people in England. I think they caught me in the middle of everything."
"I didn't quite feel loved or appreciated by the club or the fans. I started very well at Chelsea, but an injury in the end leaves you a bit stuck."
The move to Atletico was billed as a homecoming to the club he had supported as a boy and for whom he has played as a teenager. But it followed a similar pattern to the time at his previous clubs. He put up a respectable goal tally of 22 goals in 61 games, but his performances hardly set the world alight.
Which is why his move to Juventus came as such a surprise. There had been little in the way of rumours involving Morata, who appeared happy at his current club. But Juventus had a new manager in the form of Andrea Pirlo, who had played alongside Morata during his first spell at the club and remembered the talent the young striker had shown at the time.
Juventus and Pirlo's faith in Morata has paid off in fine fashion with the Spanish striker getting his second spell in Turin off to a flying start.
In all competitions for Juventus this season, he has made 10 appearances, scoring seven goals. He also has three assists to his name.
It has been in Europe where Morata has really excelled though, scoring five goals in just four matches, to put Juventus on the brink of qualifying for the knockout stage of the Champions League.
It would appear that Alvaro Morata might have finally found the place to lay down some permanent roots and take his career to the next level. Juventus will hope that he can establish himself as the world-class striker he clearly has the potential to be.
