Giving him his debut at Real Madrid, it’s no secret that José Mourinho is a staunch admirer of Alvaro Morata.
Blossoming at Juventus, Morata was bought back by Real Madrid, and the 24-year-old has since spent most of his time being a backup option for Karim Benzema, yet managed to outscore the French striker.
The Spanish striker has shown this season that, even with limited game time, he is a very prolific striker, which has caused a number of teams to be interested in his services.
Chelsea, Manchester United and AC Milan have all been linked in some shape or form to the Real Madrid forward, but it’s the latter two who seem to be in a real contest, with José Mourinho’s side reportedly having had a bid rejected.
On Thursday afternoon, every single outlet in England jumped on quotes from the player’s agent, who spoke to FootMercato in France.
He said: “Alvaro is a player who wants to play a more important role. He wants to play more. It’s logical for a forward who has scored 19 goals. It’s too little. It was a brilliant season for Real Madrid, who won so many titles.
“The player will make a clear and definitive decision in the coming days. I haven’t met the Real Madrid board yet.”
Confirming the interest from AC Milan in his client, the agent also revealed he was yet to receive an offer from France.
One thing was clear, however, and that was Morata did not want another season like the last, where he played a bit part role.
Real Madrid are said to want somewhere in between €70-90m for Morata, depending on the report, yet the player appears to prefer, above all, a stay at the Bernabeú.
Speaking after the Champions League final, relayed by Eurosport in Italy, the 24-year-old said: “I want to play and be an important part of the team, especially in the next year because of the World Cup, but I want to do that here. I would be crazy if I left Real Madrid”.
Even if Zinedine Zidane cannot guarantee regular game time next season, leaving Real Madrid this summer remains a big risk, and it seems the player understands that.
As Morata explained, the upcoming season is one leading up to a World Cup, and moving to a club in a new league, like the Premier League, is a gamble.
What if he doesn’t adapt? What if he ends up on the bench more often than not, much like Henrikh Mkhitaryan did early on in his first season at Manchester United?
Unlike the Armenian, Morata isn’t the star in his national team, and another forward could emerge in the meantime, leaving him in a position he might not have been in had he stayed and scored 20-odd goals from Real Madrid’s bench.
Furthermore, if he does move, there’s the pressure of a hefty transfer fee, and we all know what some members of the English press are like if such players don’t live up to their expectations.
Just ask Paul Pogba.
It wouldn’t be surprising to see Morata stay an extra year in Spain, ensure he gets into the Spain national team next year (he’s been called up to every squad since the Euros), and then get his big move if he still wants it.
Of course, by then, he could also be the starting striker at Real Madrid, with Karim Benzema edging ever closer to his 30th birthday and the end of his contract, which lasts until 2019.
This summer is extremely important for the 24-year-old, and a move to a club like Manchester United could (we’re not saying it will) put all his hard work trying to secure a place in the Spain squad in jeopardy.
Is it really worth it when time is on your side and there’s always next summer?
