Chelsea fans will be “punching the air” after the club agreed a deal to sign Real Madrid striker\u00a0Alvaro Morata, says former Blues winger\u00a0Pat Nevin.<\/p>\n
Morata, 24, will discuss personal terms and have a medical after\u00a0Real accepted an offer of about \u00a360m\u00a0for him.<\/p>\n
Chelsea had previously tried to re-sign Romelu Lukaku, but the Belgium striker instead joined Manchester United.<\/p>\n
“It’s not the one they were left with, it’s the one they wanted, absolutely,”\u00a0Nevin told BBC Radio 5 live.<\/p>\n
The deal was announced a day after manager Antonio Conte signed an improved contract with the Premier League champions.<\/p>\n
“I’m going to the team managed by the coach who has placed the most faith in me, and that’s great for me,” Morata told\u00a0AS on Wednesday.<\/i><\/p>\n
“It’s beginning to look like Antonio Conte’s Chelsea side,” said Nevin.<\/p>\n
“And because he signed this new contract, it’s saying: ‘I believe in this, I want to be part of this.’ It didn’t seem like the case a couple of months ago.<\/p>\n
“Now, most Chelsea fans will be smiling and punching the air, much the same way that I was.”<\/p>\n
Morata would be Chelsea’s fourth signing of the summer, after goalkeeper Willy Caballero, defender Antonio Rudiger and midfielder Tiemoue Bakayoko.<\/p>\n
Nevin said: “I wrote a piece on the Chelsea website about three months ago. I asked the fans: ‘Who would you like most as a centre-forward?’<\/p>\n
“There were three names that came up. Number three was Lukaku, number two was [Alexis] Sanchez, and number one? Morata.”<\/p>\n
Morata could replace Spain team-mate Diego Costa, who says he has been told by manager Antonio Conte that he is no longer in Chelsea’s plans.<\/p>\n
Morata scored 20 goals last season after rejoining Real from Juventus.<\/p>\n
“I think he was the number one choice that Antonio Conte wanted,” said Nevin.<\/p>\n
“I am not sure what’s going to be happening with Diego Costa. I think it’s quite unlikely he will stay with all the noises we’ve been hearing.<\/p>\n
“Chelsea need a striker who can give you 15-20 goals a season.<\/p>\n
“Put him in a team where you’ve got the likes of Cesc Fabregas, the likes of Eden Hazard giving you plenty of opportunities… Morata can do that.”<\/p>\n
European football journalist Mina Rzouki on BBC Radio 5 live<\/i><\/p>\n
If you offered me the choice between Morata and Lukaku, I wouldn’t even think about it.<\/p>\n
I would pay \u00a320m or \u00a330m more if I had to and I would bring in Morata.<\/p>\n
That is because I would always prefer an intelligent player in my team. Even if he doesn’t score as many goals, even if he doesn’t do whatever he needs to.<\/p>\n
If he is more intelligent then he can be moulded quicker, he can do what he needs to do. And Morata has Champions League experience. He was second top scorer for Real Madrid despite not starting.<\/p>\n
He has done it at Juventus and he has done it at Real Madrid.<\/p>\n
He understands, he has the pace, he is intelligent, he links up play, he can be a counter-attacking threat.<\/p>\n
–<\/b><\/p>\n
Source; BBC<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Chelsea fans will be “punching the air” after the club agreed a deal to sign Real Madrid striker\u00a0Alvaro Morata, says former Blues winger\u00a0Pat Nevin. Morata, 24, will discuss personal terms and have a medical after\u00a0Real accepted an offer of about \u00a360m\u00a0for him. Chelsea had previously tried to re-sign Romelu Lukaku, but the Belgium striker instead […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":14,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[142],"tags":[851,396,3],"yoast_head":"\n