Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
Barca in shock link to Morata
ALVARO MORATA could be set to end his nightmare at Chelsea with a surprise move to Barcelona.
The Spain striker’s agents are trying to engineer a move away from Stamford Bridge – and intermediaries have made contact with the Nou Camp club about a possible deal next month.
Barca need cover for former Liverpool striker Luis Suarez, who is having stem-cell treatment for a knee problem, and there are doubts about his fitness for the rest of the season.
Munir has proven ineffective in the back-up role to Suarez so far this term, while Paco Alcacer has been allowed to complete a permanent £22million move to Borussia Dortmund.
A loan move for Morata for the rest of the season is the most likely option, with the possibility of a permanent deal in the summer. The 26-year-old wants regular football, with his move to Stamford Bridge having turned sour.
The former Real Madrid striker is no longer able to hold down a regular place under Maurizio Sarri.
The £65m striker has struggled with the physicality of the English game, and his confidence has dipped. Sarri (above) has preferred to use Olivier Giroud in recent games.
Chelsea will want to get their money back on Morata, but Sarri, after a relatively low spend by the club’s standards last summer, wants to move players on to make room for new signings.
Morata has also been linked with a move to AC Milan, but that would probably only happen in the summer when Gonzalo Higuain ends his loan spell.