Juventus prepare for post-Ronaldo era with Morata deal
Álvaro Morata is on loan in Turin from Atlético Madrid and has impressed enough that Juventus are hoping to come a deal to keep the striker.
“If you don’t believe in us, don’t look at us,” Álvaro Morata said recently, affirming his belief that Juventus are still in the hunt for the Scudetto despite Inter’s form and the renaissance of AC Milan this season. The Spain international was unable to prevent Juve from going out of the Champions League at the hands of Porto, a defeat that has fallen squarely on the shoulders of his strike partner and former Real Madrid teammate Cristiano Ronaldo, but the season the on-loan Atlético striker has produced has been sufficient for the Juve board to be looking at options to make his move permanent.
Morata scored six times in the Champions League group stage and he has plundered 16 goals and added 11 assists in 32 games in all competitions since rejoining the club, a remarkable return considering that he contracted a cytomegalovirus at the beginning of 2021 and has only just recovered. Now he is back on the pitch, he hopes to help fire Juventus toward the Serie A title even if that goal is a distant one given Inter have opened up a 10-point lead at the summit. The Old Lady also has the chance to land the Coppa Italia when they take on Atalanta in the final, which would go some way to dispelling the disappointment of coming up short in Europe.
Juventus keen to tempt Atlético into Morata deal
Juventus are keen to secure Morata on a long-term deal having had the Spain striker on loan in Turin twice now. Andrea Pirlo is a big fan but the board are in the business of attempting to balance the books and hardly in a position to stump up the €45m stipulated in the loan agreement to sign the forward permanently.
Juve are pondering how they can tempt Atlético to the negotiating table and may offer a player part exchange for Morata, who Diego Simeone is unlikely to find room for in a front line that already obliges João Félix to spend a decent amount of time on the bench.