Real Madrid Transfer News: Alvaro Morata, Arsenal Plan Reported, Latest Rumours

Real Madrid are reportedly ready to activate a clause in Alvaro Morata’s contract with Juventus to bring him back to the club this summer before sending him to Arsenal for a profit.  

That’s according to a story from Sergio Gomez in AS, in which it’s claimed the transfer sequence is set to take place. It’s suggested that aside from the Gunners, who are touted as the main pursuers of the player, there is interest from other sides across the continent in Morata, including Bayern Munich.

Gomez continued, adding further colour to what is currently a complicated situation:

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Morata was sold for €20 million leaving the way clear for [Karim] Benzema to be the number one striker. But in this agreement the option to buy him back was open with specific dates, 1-15 July in either 2016 or 2017. 

This option will be exercised this summer. In terms of the finances of the buy-back, this was to be determined based on number of games played and could vary between €20-€30 million. As the striker has been involved in more than 50 per cent of the season's official matches (22 of the 40), Madrid will have to fork out the maximum. The intention therefore is to sell him on for around €50 million making a tidy profit.

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Since leaving Real in the summer of 2014, there’s little denying Morata has grown as a footballer. Here is a look at some of his standout moments in a Juventus shirt:

The Turin giants have really taken to the Spain international, too. He is a striker who offers so much at the point of the attack, with his exceptional work rate, clever movement and willingness to link the play. With continued minutes on the field, he’s someone you can see improving even more.

Morata has shown a propensity for performing on the big stage, too. In Juventus’ run to the UEFA Champions League final last season, he shone, including scoring goals in both legs of the semi-final against his former club and against Barcelona in the competition climax.

DANI POZO/Getty Images

Bleacher Report’s Sam Tighe praised the efforts of Morata in Juve’s recent Champions League clash with Bayern, in which he was superb despite the Bianconeri’s eventual elimination:

It’d certainly be a shame to see such a talent used as a money-making tool. Morata is a player who has benefitted so much from a settled run in the team at Juventus, having failed to make it at the Santiago Bernabeu. And while he will always have an affinity with Los Blancos, having honed his skills with the club, this process surely wouldn’t sit well with him.

There’s an argument to say Real could do with him in the squad, too. The club’s supporters seem to think so, as this poll from AS revealed recently:

Los Blancos could be on the hunt for a different kind of striker, though, with Phil Cadden of the Sun suggesting they are planning a £60 million bid for Everton forward Romelu Lukaku.

Gareth Copley/Getty Images

Here is a statistical comparison of the Belgium international, Morata and Real’s current starting centre-forward, Karim Benzema, in league matches this season:

	Benzema	Morata	Lukaku
Apps (Sub)	20 (1)	13 (15)	29
Goals	20	6	18
Assists	3	3	6
Shots per game	3.7	1.3	3.4
Key passes per game	1.5	0.7	1.6
Dribbles per game	0.8	0.9	1.1

While the La Liga giants may have a grand summer plan for the Juventus forward, the player will surely have a say in any activity in the window. At the moment, it’s difficult to see why he would want to depart a Juventus side who are improving, winning titles and among the best in European football.

Arsenal are a talented outfit who could pay him handsomely, but not as far along in their development as the Italian champions. Morata would certainly improve their much maligned options at the point of the attack, yet another big move so early in his career will do little to help the 23-year-old find further consistency in his game.