Transfer Profile: Alvaro Morata


Alvaro Morata

Transfer Profile: Alvaro Morata

By Tom Masters

As the summer transfer window gets nearer and nearer, Mikel Arteta is drawing up a shortlist of players that he wants to sign for Arsenal this summer. 

With Alexandre Lacazette departing, a key position for The Gunners this summer will be striker, and Arteta has identified fellow Spaniard Alvaro Morata as a primary target this summer. 


Here, we look at Morata’s career to date, and what he can bring to the Arsenal attack next season. 

His career so far 

 

Morata began his professional career at Real Madrid, spending the bulk of his first spell in the Spanish capital at Real Madrid Castilla. 


After scoring 45 goals in 83 appearances for Castilla, he finally earned a place in the first XI, where he scored 10 goals in 37 games. 


After winning the Champions League that season, two Copa del Rey titles and La Liga twice, Morata made the move to Italian giants Juventus for a fee of €20 million. 


His first season in Turin was incredibly successful, as Juve won Serie A, Coppa Italia and were defeated in the Champions League final by Barcelona, with Morata included in the UEFA squad of the season.

 

A consecutive domestic double followed, but that proved to be his final season for the Bianconeri, as Real Madrid triggered their buy-back clause to re-sign their Spanish striker. 


Another immensely successful season followed, as Los Blancos won La Liga, the UEFA Super Cup, the FIFA Club World Cup and the Champions League, against old club Juventus. 


But after a successful 15 goal season, Morata made the move to The Premier League and Chelsea for a then club-record fee of around £60 million.


Initially hitting the ground running, he began to struggle with back issues, and the goals dried up, which saw Morata fall behind Olivier Giroud in the pecking order. 


He spent just 18 months in London, winning the FA Cup, in what was a generally unsuccessful time, scoring just 16 goals in 47 games, which saw him loaned to Atletico Madrid. 


In July 2019 Atletico confirmed the permanent signing of Morata for a fee of £58 million. 


But just a year later Morata was once again on the move, this time back to Juventus, where he won the Supercoppa Italiana and yet another Coppa Italia. 


However, after the signing of Dusan Vlahovic, Morata once again fell down the pecking order, and with Atletico Madrid no longer needing him either, it is understood he is up for grabs at a cut-price fee. 

 

What can he bring to Arsenal’s attack? 

 

One thing Morata has done fairly regularly is pop up and score goals, which by all accounts is exactly what The Gunners are searching for this summer. 


He is not as pacey as he was when he first burst onto the scene at Real Madrid, but he has experience now, and despite not suceeding at Chelsea, does know what it means physically to play in the Premier League, something that may have come into Arteta’s thinking. 


With Martin Odegaard and the pace of Gabriel Martinelli and Bukayo Saka, Morata could theoretically do very well at The Emirates. 

 

Would he be a good signing? 

 

This is almost totally dependent on price, but with Morata turning 30 in October, you get the feeling that he doesn’t exactly match the project that Arteta has created recently. 


That being said, Arsenal need a striker and Morata is just that, while his potentially reduced transfer fee would allow Arteta to spend more money elsewhere, as he attempts to get The Gunners back in the Champions League after a five-year hiatus. 


Verdict: If Arteta can get Morata for £30 million or less then you feel it would be a worthwhile purchase, but there are other targets out there who may get Gunners fans more excited. 

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