Morata ready to return to the Old Lady?
Published:
Chelsea may be in the mood to part with Alvaro Morata only a year after making him their most-expensive signing ever.
The club lured the Spaniard away from his boyhood club Real Madrid last summer in an eventual £70 million deal.
The 25-year-old was in blistering form at the beginning of the season. He notched nine Premier League goals in the first half of the season but couldn’t replicate his form after Christmas.
He only found the net twice more in the league afterwards. His profligacy in front of goal plus Olivier Giroud’s January arrival saw Morata’s form dip.
Chelsea may be hesitant to part with the striker for much less than they paid. But reports suggest Juventus may be ready to offer Gonzalo Higuaín in exchange.
Antonio Conte’s future in West London is hanging in the balance. The signings of Ross Barkley, Emerson Palmieri and Danny Drinkwater hint that the manager isn’t the man making all the decisions on transfers.
If as expected, Mauricio Sarri does arrive at Stamford Bridge in the coming weeks this could accelerate a deal.
Sarri managed Higuaín during his time in Naples. The Argentine was in devastating form in 2015-16 scoring 36 goals in 35 Serie A games.
If the Italian coach can get the best out him yet again then he may be the prolific striker Chelsea and their fans are looking for.
Replacing Diego Costa’s goals has been hard to come by. And with reports that Eden Hazard is eyeing a move to Real Madrid, this has heaped the pressure on the Chelsea hierarchy.
The Spanish striker missed out on the World Cup squad but will hope a return to the Old Lady kick-starts his career.
In his two seasons in Turin he established himself on the European stage. Morata bagged 27 goals for I Bianconeri including in the 2015 Champions League final.
Maybe a reunion with Juve boss Max Allegri is what the striker needs to get firing again.
Higuaín is much-maligned in an Argentina shirt – when he gets on the pitch. But since leaving Real Madrid his club career has flourished.
A move to England looked close in 2013 but five years on we could finally see Pipita in the Prem.
All Odds and Markets correct as of date of publication
