Atletico Madrid striker Alvaro Morata is returning to Italian champions Juventus on a season-long loan arranagement, according to Deportes Cuatro.
It is claimed that the deal is already in place and Atleti are already searching for the Spain international’s replacement, following a report they were close to landing Barcelona striker Luis Suarez.
🚨🚨🚨 NOTICIA | #DeportesCuatro
💣Álvaro Morata se marcha CEDIDO a la Juventus
💥El Atlético facilita su deseo de volver a Italiahttps://t.co/LWq7WKz2FK
— Deportes Cuatro (@DeportesCuatro) September 21, 2020
Morata – whose wife is Italian – is said to have been frustrated at Atleti in recent months and particularly when Simeone opted to play Diego Costa ahead of him on several occasions near the end of last season.
Indeed, after football resumed in June, Morata only started six of 12 matches for Los Rojiblancos and was a substitute in the Champions League defeat to RB Leipzig.
It follows a report that Juventus want Morata with their new boss Andrea Pirlo – a former teammate of the Spaniard – keen to push for a deal.
The striker previously spent two years in Italy with the Bianconeri – where he scored 15 goals in 63 games, helping them to two league titles and the 2015 Champions League final.
The 27-year old has struggled for consistency with Diego Simeone’s side since his return to the Spanish capital in 2018, however 12 league goals last season may have handed him a second chance in Simeone’s plans at the Wanda Metropolitano.
Good if that happens – it solves the issue of signing a 33+ player on high wages and no resale value that Suarez or Dzeko would have paused. He knows the club and his teammates perfectly.