Mourinho plans to deny Man Utd bargain signing of the summer by snapping up ex-Chelsea star

Robin Bairner

25 Jun 2024 07:44 BST
3 min read

Former Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho is planning to thwart the Old Trafford side’s attempts to secure what might be one of the bargain signings of the summer.

Article continues under the video

According to a report from Turkey, Man Utd are eyeing the possibility of signing striker Alvaro Morata from Atletico Madrid by triggering a release clause in the Spain striker’s contract worth just €12 million.

United are not alone in chasing the 31-year-old Spain striker, though. Turkish outlet Sabah (via The Express) indicates that Roma, Juventus, Borussia Dortmund and Jose Mourinho’s Fenerbahce have all opened talks with the striker.

Morata reportedly wants a salary of around €86,000 per week, making him a viable target for the Red Devils but more complicated for Mourinho’s new club.

STATS

Álvaro Morata

F (CRL)

Atlético

Álvaro Morata

F (CRL)

Atlético

32

Games
15

Goals
3

Assists

Morata to Man Utd: Could it happen?

Manchester United have prioritised signing another striker this summer to offer some support to Rasmus Hojlund, but a move for Morata, who has two years left on his Atletico Madrid deal, would represent a step away from their current transfer policy.

At 31, Morata is well into the veteran stage of his career. Sir Jim Ratcliffe and his INEOS group, meanwhile, have indicated since they took over that they want to sign promising young players. The Spain forward is diametrically opposed to this.

But there would be certain upsides in taking a more pragmatic approach in the market. For example, Hojlund would be able to learn from him. Morata, who has previously played for Real Madrid, Juventus and Chelsea, has nearly 15 years of experience in senior football.

© IMAGO - Alvaro Morata, Atletico Madrid

He remains a potent threat in front of goal. In LaLiga last season, he scored 15 goals from 32 appearances, only 21 of which were starts.

Then there is the question of his transfer fee. At €12m, Morata represents a relative bargain. He has an Estimated Transfer Value (ETV) of €16.9m. Value for money, then, would not be a problem in this case.

It would be surprising if Morata were to move to Man Utd because it would be such a sharp departure from their overall plan, but there is still enough life in the Spain star to make him a viable option.

Nevertheless, Mourinho’s Fenerbahce look a likelier bet.