Morata second choice for Conte
BLOW: UNITED DASH BLUES’ HOPES OF SIGNING LUKAKU
Real play hardball, demanding £80m for Spanish striker.
London
Spanish striker Alvaro Morata is now the focus of frustrated Chelsea manager Antonio Conte’s attentions after Romelu Lukaku slipped through his fingers and signed for Manchester United, according to media reports.
Chelsea have tabled a £62 million bid for the 24-year-old Morata but Real Madrid are holding out for £80m, the reports say.
Chelsea have offered Morata wages of £150 000 a week on a five-year contract, according to London’s Evening Standard.
Morata is keen to play for the manager and told The Guardian Conte had given him self-belief.
Morata would replace fellow Spanish international Diego Costa, whom Conte told at the end of last season he no longer figured in his plans despite his 20 Premier League goals spurring on Chelsea to the title.
Several newspapers say Chelsea have rejected an initial bid of £22m for the 28-year-old Brazil-born marksman – whose febrile temperament also played a role in Chelsea’s alarming slide in the 2015/16 campaign and to Jose Mourinho’s sacking – and would like to recoup at least the £32m they paid for him in 2014.
Chelsea’s recruitment for a season that will throw up the extra challenge on the squad of Champions League football has seen experienced Argentinian goalkeeper Willy Caballero join for free and German international defender Antonio Rudiger sign for £29m on Sunday.
There could also be further disappointment for Conte with regard to his pursuit of midfielder Tiemoue Bakayoko as several newspapers suggest Mourinho’s United are ready to launch another commando raid to hijack the deal.
The Times and the Daily Mail say United are willing to offer £40m – matching Monaco’s valuation – rather than the £35m Chelsea have bid for the 22-year-old.
Chelsea are unwilling to better the offer because of concern about Bakayoko having undergone keyhole surgery on a knee in the summer.
United had originally been keen to bring in Nemanja Matic from Chelsea but The Times says the Lukaku affair has endangered that deal, souring the two clubs’ relations. –