Alvaro Morata is edging slowly toward the Chelsea exit door with reports circulating that the striker will join Atletico Madrid in the very near future.
Having been photographed milling around in Madrid on Monday, Fabrizio Romano is claiming that an agreement between the two/three parties is now close.
Alvaro #Morata to Atlético Madrid, confirmed. Last details and the agreement is so close. Here we go! 🇪🇸✔️ #CFC #Atletico #Chelsea
— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) 16 January 2019
Sky Sports add that Morata is dead keen to end his Stamford Bridge hoodoo and return to the Spanish capital, though the transfer very much depends on whether Chelsea can secure a replacement.
To that end…
Agreement reached between #Juventus and #Chelsea for Gonzalo #Higuain! Loan + buy option for 6 months; it can be extended as loan also for one year more (2019/2020 season) if Higuain will get some steps with Chelsea (caps, goals, team targets). 🔵 #CFC #Chelsea #Juve #Milan
— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) 16 January 2019
So it looks like it’s all systems go on the Morata front, with the £70million man set to leave the Blues after a year-and-a-half having scored just 16 goals in 47 Premier League appearances. He is now said to be valued at around £45million.
As per Sky, Morata himself would prefer to join Atleti on a permanent deal, but the precise nature of the move (perhaps an initial loan with option to buy) very much depends on the final whirl of negotiations.
We shall see.