Juventus want to sign Alvaro Morata permanently for discounted price
Romeo Agresti says that the “moment of truth is approaching” regarding Alvaro Morata’s future in Turin.
The Spaniard, who made a name for himself during his first spell at the club, has enjoyed a mixed second stint after joining on a two-year loan from Atletico Madrid in 2020. Under Andrea Pirlo, he thrived playing in a secondary role to lead protagonist Cristiano Ronaldo, ending the 2020/21 season with an impressive haul of 21 Serie A goal contributions.
The stunning departure of Ronaldo last summer, however, immediately thrust Morata into the limelight for the start of the current campaign. Alas, he struggled with the stakes higher, as Massimiliano Allegri forced him into a centre-forward function that didn’t suit him.
It wasn’t until the arrival of Dusan Vlahovic in January that Morata’s form started to pick up. He’s since been utilised in the left inside channel alongside Vlahovic, outscoring the Serb in March.
Despite his recent upsurge, Morata’s Juventus future is very much up in the air. The Bianconeri will have to make a decision soon, with all parties seemingly keen for the striker to stay at the club.
Juventus will decide on Alvaro Morata’s future very soon
#Juventus would like to keep #Morata but at a much lower price than €35m. The two clubs haven’t talked yet, but they will in the coming weeks 🇪🇸⚪️⚫️@goal
— Romeo Agresti (@romeoagresti) April 6, 2022
Morata’s loan in Turin expires this summer with his parent club, Atletico Madrid, having no interest in bringing him back to the Spanish capital.
However, for Juve to buy Morata outright, they’ll have to trigger the €35m buyout option inserted into the loan deal. That’s a fee they’re unwilling to pay for the 29-year-old.
Thus, as Agresti reports, the Bianconeri are hopeful of negotiating a discounted deal with Atletico in the coming weeks. The two clubs are yet to discuss Morata’s situation.
The player himself recently declared his desire to stay at the club: “I want to stay, but the future is not up to me. Next year, if it is not possible to continue here, I would still be the first Juventus fan”.
And while Atletico have no interest in keeping Morata on their books, perhaps Juve will face competition from Barcelona for the player’s signature this summer. Xavi was keen to bring his compatriot to Catalonia in January before eventually signing Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang late on in the window.
Should Juve bring back Morata at a discounted price this summer, the Spanish international isn’t expected to play a leading role for Juventus moving forward. With Federico Chiesa returning from injury in the autumn, Vlahovic the undisputed number nine and a replacement set to be brought in for Paulo Dybala, Morata will surely play an important cover role in attack from the start of next season.