AC Milan to Reportedly Rival Juventus in Alvaro Morata Transfer Chase

AC Milan are reportedly ready to rival Juventus in pursuit of Chelsea forward Alvaro Morata this summer. 

According to Darren Lewis of the Daily Mirror, the two Italian sides are interested in the Spain international, who has struggled to hit top form in his first season in the Premier League. He is said to be keen on making a return to Serie A, where he enjoyed two prosperous years with Juventus.

"Milan have already approached Chelsea and are seeking a loan with a view to a permanent deal," continued the report. "Chelsea are open to selling the marksman if they receive an acceptable offer. The deposed Champions are actively seeking a new striker with Bayern Munich superstar Robert Lewandowski top of their list."

After a bright beginning to life at Stamford Bridge, Morata's season nosedived due to injury issues and a subsequent loss of form.

In his first seven games for the Blues he found the back of the net seven times. However, since the turn of the year he scored just three times in all competitions, with January signing Olivier Giroud usurping him as Chelsea's first-choice striker.

As noted by Real Madrid writer Lucas Navarrete, the decision to leave the club last summer hasn't been beneficial to the player's development:

In fairness to Morata, this season was his first in a new division and his first as a definitive starter. Factor in the injuries he endured, and it's little surprise to see his form has been up and down throughout 2017-18.

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Early in the term he offered a glimpse into the kind of player he can be at his best. Morata has a little bit of everything in his game, as he works hard, wins battles and has a burst of speed. His ability to finish with either foot and with his head gave Chelsea a brilliant focal point.

However, after starting for Spain at the previous UEFA European Championship, Morata has not been selected for this summer's FIFA World Cup squad, despite a decent goalscoring record for La Roja, per OptaJose:

Juventus, having helped bring the best out of Morata previously, would be an intriguing move for the Spaniard. Per The Sportsman Transfers, he made a big impact in Turin between 2014 and 2016:

At Juve the 25-year-old would face serious competition for places. The Italian champions have Gonzalo Higuain, Paulo Dybala and Mario Mandzukic as options at the top end of the pitch; Morata hasn't shown enough this season to suggest he would offer more than any of that trio.

For Milan, the Chelsea man has the class to be a first-team regular in a position where Nikola Kalinic and Andre Silva have failed to convince after summer moves. Morata would be costly but has shown already he has what's required to thrive in Italian football.