Real Madrid Transfer News: Alvaro Morata Contract Offer Amid Arsenal Rumours

Real Madrid forward Alvaro Morata is reportedly poised to pen a new deal with the club, potentially ending speculation over a move to Arsenal or Chelsea.

Morata returned to Madrid recently after the club activated his buyback clause, ending a two-year stint with Juventus.

While there’s been speculation aplenty about the player’s future, according to Marco Ruiz of AS, the Spain international is set to commit his future to the capital club in the form of a five-year contract with an annual salary of €6 million (£5 million).

“Morata will sign the new contract even if Florentino Perez, who will be out of town from Sunday, is not around as Jose Angel Sanchez will be in charge of such matters,” Ruiz noted, also adding the player’s deal could contain the option for a sixth year.

As noted in the piece, Arsenal and Chelsea have both been linked with moves for the striker, who will face stiff competition for a starting spot at the Santiago Bernabeu. Here is a look at some of his highlights during the spell in Turin:

Morata has certainly improved. The forward has played in massive games, has scored crucial goals and has lead the line with an infectious work rate for Juventus.

Working under manager Massimiliano Allegri has been to his huge benefit. The Spain international has featured alongside strikers like Carlos Tevez, Mario Mandzukic and Paulo Dybala, who have all aided in Morata’s development. His strikes in both legs of the UEFA Champions League semi-final against Madrid and the final against Barcelona show an appetite for the big occasion, too.

GIUSEPPE CACACE/Getty Images

Despite his development, Morata’s goalscoring isn’t what you’d expect from a player valued at €70 million (£58.4 million). Bleacher Report’s Karl Matchett feels as though the potential transfer fees being bandied around for the forward are excessive with this in mind:

Madrid may be able to call upon some elite options up front in the shape of Cristiano Ronaldo, Gareth Bale and Karim Benzema. However, what they lacked at times throughout the 2015-16 was a player who could fill in for the latter at the point of the attack. Morata would offer a brilliant back-up option and even competition to Benzema.

The Santiago Bernabeu is surely where Morata will want to play his football, too. Of course, he’ll want regular minutes so he can continue developing as a footballer. But if he can force his way into the first team in the Spanish capital, it’ll be all the more special to the striker.

Winning titles in the iconic white strip will have surely always been the 23-year-old’s main ambition when growing up in Madrid.