Spanish champions Barcelona are reportedly weighing up a shock move to sign former Real Madrid man Alvaro Morata on loan for the rest of the season.
As per a report from the Mirror, Barcelona are eyeing a sensational loan swoop for Chelsea striker Alvaro Morata in the Jauary transfer window.
The 26-year-old former Real Madrid forward is believed to be unhappy with his current situation at the Stamford Bridge, as he finds himself behind Olivier Giroud in the pecking order.
Moreover, manager Maurizio Sarri has preferred to use wing-wizard Eden Hazard as a false-nine in recent matches, and has hinted that the Belgian could continue to feature in the same role moving forward, further denting Morata’s first-team opportunities with the West London outfit.
This has prompted Morata into considering a move away from Chelsea in the January transfer window. And surprisingly, Barcelona are set to offer him a way out of his current predicament, by signing him on loan in the winter, with an option to make the deal permanent at the end of the season.
The reigning La Liga champions are looking at the future amid concerns over the longevity of star striker Luis Suarez. The Uruguayan international will soon be turning 32 years of age and has been battling a chronic knee injury, which has kept him out of action for a number of games in the ongoing campaign.
Having sold Paco Alcacer to Borussia Dortmund, Barcelona are left with Munir El Haddadi as the only backup for Suarez. However, the La Masia graduate hasn’t been able to make much of an impact when he has been afforded the opportunities by manager Ernesto Valverde.
Barcelona were reported to be eyeing a mega money move for Tottenham Hotspur superstar Harry Kane in the summer transfer window, while Liverpool’s Roberto Firmino has emerged as a potential target as well.
However, they now seem to have set their sights on Morata, owing to the fact that he might be available as early as January and is likely to cost significantly lesser than the aforementioned options. To that end, there have already been negotiations held between the club and the player’s representatives over a move in the winter transfer window.
Morata joined Chelsea in the summer of 2017 in a £58 million deal from Barcelona’s bitter rivals Real Madrid. After an explosive start to life in England, the 26-year-old has struggled for form and has been guilty of missing several gilt-edged chances over the course of the campaign.
So far in the 2018-19 term, the former Real Madrid star has struck 7 goals in 21 matches across all competitions. The Spanish international was below par on Thursday night, as Chelsea were held to a 2-2 draw by MOL Vidi FC in the UEFA Europa League.
Morata still has over three years left on his contract with Chelsea, but given his frustration at the lack of playing time, an exit in the winter transfer window could very well be on the cards. The Blues themselves have been linked with a number of forward players, hinting that they might be willing to allow the Spaniard to leave.
Given the lack of depth in the centre-forward position, Barcelona could benefit hugely by signing Morata. The 26-year-old may not be in the best of form, but has tasted success in Spain and a change of environment could be exactly what the former Real Madrid man needs to rediscover his mojo. However, it remains to be seen if the deal does actually go through in January.
