Chelsea agree deal to bring Real striker Morata to Stamford Bridge
CHELSEA have reached an agreement to buy Spain international striker Alvaro Morata from Real Madrid for a reported € 80 million ($92.2 million), the two clubs announced on Wednesday.
“Chelsea Football Club and Real Madrid have agreed terms for the transfer of Alvaro Morata to Stamford Bridge,” Chelsea said on their club website. “The move is now subject to him agreeing personal terms and passing a medical.”
Madrid confirmed the news as well in a brief statement on their website.
“The club wishes to express its thanks for the dedication, professionalism and exemplary conduct displayed by the player over the years, spanning his time in our academy right through to his spell as a member of the first-team squad,” the statement added.
Chelsea had reportedly tabled a £62 million ($80 million) bid for the 24-year-old last week but Madrid, according to Spanish radio station Cadena Ser, have agreed the sale for € 80 million.
Morata is expected to leave Madrid’s training camp in the United States as soon as possible.
‘Indebted’ to Conte
British media reported last week that Chelsea had offered Morata a five-year contract at Stamford Bridge worth £150,000 a week.
Real exercised a buy-back clause to bring Morata back from Juventus a year ago, having joined the Italian club in 2014 just days after Antonio Conte’s exit in Turin. He scored 20 goals in 43 appearances last season as Real retained their Champions League crown while edging Barcelona to the Spanish title.
Morata had previously been linked with a move to Manchester United, but their reported interest ended after the signing of Romelu Lukaku from Everton.
The Spaniard told the Guardian in April that Chelsea boss Conte, who was instrumental in persuading him to sign for Juve, had given him self-belief and that he was looking forward to working with the Italian one day.
“I feel indebted to him because he’s the coach that most trusted in me, most wanted me, who made me feel I could perform at the highest level,” Morata told the newspaper.
Morata’s arrival in London could signal the end of his international teammate Diego Costa’s time at Chelsea, with the latter strongly tipped for a return to Atletico Madrid.
Costa was granted extra time off by the Blues and has missed the start of preseason training after the 28-yearold revealed in June that he was not part of Conte’s plans.
The Brazil-born Spain striker is keen on rejoining Atletico despite them not being allowed to register new players until January because of a transfer ban.
Liverpool in Asia Trophy final
Meanwhile, new signing Dominic Solanke came off the bench to score as Liverpool beat Crystal Palace 2-0 in a preseason game in Hong Kong on Wednesday.
The 19-year-old suggested he could prove a summer bargain at just $4 million as he linked up well with fellow striker Divock Origi, who also got on the scoresheet in the Premier League Asia Trophy win.
“It’s been a smart move for him and for us,” Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp said of Solanke’s transfer from Chelsea.
“He saw the opportunity and we could see it also. You could see immediately he is a smart player. He’s a skilled boy and we are happy about this. We will help him all we can.”
Origi set up the first goal for Liverpool on the hour mark with a clever back-heel that found Solanke unmarked and the teenager made no mistake, finishing coolly in the stifling Hong Kong heat.
Origi then rifled home Liverpool’s second in the 79th minute, to the delight of a crowd of 40,000.
Klopp’s new-look front line proved a welcome distraction for the German coach following reports Leipzig had rejected a huge bid of $86 million for star midfielder Naby Keita.
Klopp bristled when asked about the Keita situation as rumours circled that the Guinea international’s agent had been spotted in Hong Kong.
“Are we in Macau?” asked Klopp in reference to the world’s largest gambling hub, situated just across the Pearl River Delta from Hong Kong.
“What do you know? Sixty-six million [pounds] turned down today? I don’t think about this.
“Today both teams played good football,” added Klopp, turning his attention back to events on the pitch. “In the second half we made some changes and we scored – nice. We changed the formation and it was nice to watch.”
Liverpool will face Leicester City in the Asia Trophy final on Saturday after the Foxes won the earlier match 7-6 on penalties over West Bromwich Albion following a 1-1 stalemate in normal time.