MEANWHILE ... CHELSEA SPLASH OUT ‘JUST’ £58M FOR MORATA
CHELSEA have agreed to pay a club-record £70.6million for Real Madrid striker Alvaro Morata. The 24-year-old Spain international was due to leave Los Angeles last night, where he has been with his Madrid team-mates, and head for London to sign a five-year contract worth around £155,000 a week. Chelsea insist the initial fee is closer to £58m but, with add-ons to follow, the final figure is expected to be £70.6m. The fee eclipses the £50m paid by Chelsea to Liverpool for Fernando Torres in 2011 and makes Morata the most expensive Spanish footballer ever. Chelsea made their breakthrough yesterday after announcing manager Antonio Conte had signed his new two-year contract and confirmed the agreement with Real Madrid via their own website last night. Conte wanted to sign him for Chelsea last summer but the champions opted to switch targets in January to concentrate on Romelu Lukaku. But his decision to join Manchester United brought Morata back into focus. AC Milan had made enquiries, too, but Morata was always set on linking up with Conte again. Morata scored 20 goals in all competitions last season even though his starting chances were limited with Cristiano Ronaldo and Karim Benzema filling the main striking roles. He hopes to establish himself as a regular starter under Conte as Chelsea look to offload Diego Costa to Atletico Madrid. Morata has been training alone in California away from the main Madrid group. Initially, he had not intended to travel to the US, as he was expecting to join Manchester United prior to them gazumping Chelsea on Lukaku, but fate has found him another route to England.
Chelsea had weighed up alternatives such as Borussia Dortmund’s Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Andrea Belotti at Torino, but Morata was always first choice once Lukaku opted for Old Trafford.
Juventus left-back Alex Sandro remains a target for Chelsea. The Italians are reluctant to sell but they admire Chelsea’s wantaway midfielder Nemanja Matic.
The Serb would prefer to move to United but will consider Juventus if they offer a longer-term contract.
Manchester City, meanwhile, are ready to take their summer spending to nearly £80m on right-backs alone by signing Danilo from Real Madrid.
City have moved for the Brazil international less than a week after paying £50m for Tottenham defender Kyle Walker.
Pep Guardiola wants two new signings in that position and had lined up Dani Alves on a free transfer before he opted for Paris Saint-Germain instead.
Danilo will cost City £26.5m although they could yet face competition from Chelsea, who are understood to have made a similar offer.