Manchester United are reportedly very close to snapping up Alvaro Morata in a £70m deal as a replacement for Antoine Griezmann who opted to remain at Atletico Madrid beyond this summer.
The Real Madrid man was previously linked with a move to Chelsea, but United seem set to secure his signature according to MEN.
Out of a plethora of strikers currently available in the transfer market, The Red Devils turned their focus to Morata – here are four reasons why;
Experience and Potential
In the modern era, experience and potential work hand in hand to make a player seem more appealing to clubs.
Players with bags of potential generally garner a lot of interest from elite teams due to the many years they have ahead of them as well as their profitability in the transfer market. Coupled with experience, they are often the subject of astronomical bids.
Morata is just 24, yet he’s won consecutive league titles with both Juventus and Real Madrid. It’s worth noting he’s also lifted the Champions League title on two occasions – a magnificent feat for any player of any age.
He’s evidently got big-game experience, and despite having limited appearances for Real Madrid, the Spaniard still managed to chip in with some significant contributions.
Safe bet
Morata has been around the mainstream football scene since he made his La Liga debut in 2010.
Jose Mourinho is a fan of safe bets. He almost always prefers players with a proven track record of producing the goods consistently – something Morata is capable of.
Morata played under Mourinho during the Portuguese tactician’s spell in Spain; thus, he’s well aware of the potential 24-year-old possesses.
He’s found it hard to break into Real Madrid’s first team recently, due in large part to the stars already present within Los Blancos’ ranks, but when he does feature, he tends to put up great performances.
His loan spell at Juventus saw him earn the affinity of the Bianconeri’s fans; hence, he’s expected to be a real fan favourite at Manchester United.
Impressive Strike Rate
Last season in La Liga, Morata had a better minute per goal rate than Cristiano Ronaldo and even Luis Suarez.
His record of a goal every 89 minutes was only bettered by; you guessed it, Lionel Messi who maintained an average of a goal every 76 minutes.
Morata’s efficiency is probably the main attribute that prompted Mourinho to pursue a move for him. He managed to bag 15 goals from 14 La Liga starts, but whether he can maintain that sort of form over an extended period remains to be seen.
Completeness
Zlatan Ibrahimovic was always a threat in the air for Manchester United, but his heading ability, as well as his physicality, need not be missed with Morata poised to join the Red Devils.
Morata is capable of scoring headers and flicking the ball on from set-pieces. His hold up play is also terrific which when coupled with his eye for goal, makes him a nightmare for defenders.
The Spaniard also boasts of excellent dribbling skills which are sure to entertain the Manchester United faithful next season.
What a good deal for Manchester united to sign morata