UNITED Jose sets Woodward task of luring Morata
ALVARO Morata’s desire to become a Galactico is driving him towards United.
The Real Madrid striker’s lack of first-team opportunities under Zinedine Zidane is set to see him leave the Bernabeu this summer, with Jose Mourinho ready to promise him a role at the point of United’s attack.
Well connected Spanish newspaper Marca claims Morata’s agent Jose Angel Sanchez informed Real on Friday of his client’s intention to move.
With Mourinho instructing executive vice chairman Ed Woodward to secure a deal for the 24-year-old, it is now a case of convincing Real to lower their asking price, believed to be £68m.
Mourinho has made it clear to those close to him that he sees Morata as the man capable of filling Zlatan Ibrahimovic’s shoes at Old Trafford.
The United manager handed Morata his debut at Real in 2010 and has remained an admirer.
Zidane also values the Spanish international and is believed to be reluctant to lose him.
But with a forward line that already boasts Cristiano Ronaldo and Karim Benzema, with Monaco striker Kylian Mbappe potentially arriving this summer, the Real coach will not be able to guarantee Morata the opportunities he craves in a World Cup year.
He started just 19 games last season after Real exercised a buy-back clause to sign him from Juventus for £26m.
Despite Morata claiming this week he’d be ‘crazy’ to leave the Champions League winners, Sanchez appeared to give a truer reflection of his stance.
“He doesn’t want to experience another season like that,” said the agent. “It was a great season, but he wants to play more.”
Mourinho has prioritised a No.9 following Ibrahimovic’s knee ligament injury, suffered in April.
United had hoped to convince the Swede to extend his contract by another 12 months and pair him with Atletico Madrid striker Antoine Griezmann. But they altered their plans once the extent of Ibrahimovic’s injury became clear.
On Friday, the club confirmed he had not been offered a new deal when releasing their retained players list.
While Griezmann remains of interest - with any move now likely to be postponed until next summer Mourinho is adamant he needs an orthodox centre forward to lead his challenge for the Premier League title next season.
His three title-winning teams at Chelsea were all heavily-reliant on the front play of Didier Drogba and later Diego Costa.
He believes Morata can perform a similar role at United after also identifying Romelu Lukaku - who is set to return to Chelsea – and Andrea Belotti as targets.