After months and week of speculations of numerous big names arriving at Old Trafford, it might finally be happening in the coming weeks. As per reports, Real Madrid starlet Alvaro Morata is finally moving out of Santiago Bernabeu with first-team chances a distant possibility now and United manager Jose Mourinho looks like the frontrunner to get him.
Manchester United have had a pathetic domestic campaign last term, which was unexpected by any standards given the amount of money they had pumped in the previous summer. The biggest disappointment has definitely been their attack by all means. Mourinho managed to bring in former Bundesliga Player of the Year, Henrikh Mkhitaryan and Zlatan Ibrahimovic last transfer window to blow away opponent’s defence.
But, United could manage to score only 54 goals in the whole of last season, which was not only lesser than the top five sides but also than the likes of Everton, Bournemouth. The hyped signing of Paul Pogba wasn’t a hit either as the Frenchman could only do so much with his huge presence in the midfield.
Mourinho wants Morata to take up the mantle of United’s spearhead, whom they have reportedly agreed a deal with for £60 million. The 24-year-old Spanish international has been manager Zinedine Zidane’s most impactful player last season, scoring 20 goals and registering six assists in all competitions.
And the fact that he came off the bench 12 times make those figures all the more impressive. A centre-forward by nature, Morata can also play on the flanks and excels in finishing from in and around the box. He has already won the Champions League twice at 24 and reached the final once with Juventus before losing to Barcelona.
An academy product of Atletico Madrid, he was left by the club to move to Getafe’s youth team as a 17-year-old. An impressive season there and Real picked him up in 2008. He had a phenomenal progress with Los Blancos and took just four years to get into their star-studded first eleven.
However, it seemed too early for the starlet and he left for Juventus on a two-year loan. Under current Chelsea manager Antonio Conte, who was then managing Juve, Morata scored 27 goals and managed 19 assists. Real took notice of him yet again, but Zidane couldn’t give him a nod ahead of the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo and Karim Benzema.
With Manchester United already releasing Ibrahimovic and Wayne Rooney a likely departure following his dismal performances last season (he was even poor in Michael Carrick’s testimonial game), they have possibly snatched one of the stars of the future. United have been home some of the most talismanic centre-forwards leading their line with Ruud van Nistelrooy and Wayne Rooney being a role model. And Morata could definitely add to the legacy.
