Chelsea To Battle Arsenal & Liverpool Over Signing Of Spanish International

Chelsea are ready to battle it out with Premier League rivals Arsenal and Liverpool over the signing of Juventus hitman Alvaro Morata this summer after Antonio Conte made him one of his prime transfer targets, according to the Daily Star.

Conte is due to replace interim boss Guus Hiddink when he fulfills his duties with Italy at Euro 2016 this summer and it appears the 46-year-old is already drawing-up his list of targets as he looks to turn Chelsea back in to title challengers following a disastrous campaign.

A new striker is on the agenda with Loic Remy and Radamel Falcao expected to leave Stamford Bridge this summer while doubts continue over the long-term future of Diego Costa amid links of a move back to Spain.

The Daily Star claim that Conte has now identified Morata as the man he wants to strengthen his front line and is ready to fight it out with long-term admirers Arsenal and Liverpool, who’re also eyeing moves for the Spanish international this summer.

Morata came through the youth ranks at Real Madrid and was strongly linked with a move to England when he decided to leave the Bernabeu in 2014 before eventually joining Serie A champions Juventus.

However, the Star claim that Madrid are ready to activate a £23.7m buy-back clause that was inserted in to the deal two years ago with the La Liga giants then looking to immediately sell the striker to the highest bidder.

Juventus are also understood to be keen to take the 23-year-old back to Turin but the interest from Arsenal, Chelsea and Liverpool is likely to appeal to Morata as he recently admitted that he’d like to try his luck here in England.

“I am happy in Italy but Germany and England are both countries where my style of football could be better suited,” Morata is quoted as saying by the Daily Star

“I like the Premier League a lot because of the way football is played there.

“It’s more attractive for a striker because it is not as tactical as in Italy.”

Morata has enjoyed reasonable success in Italy having scored 25 goals in 88 appearances for Juventus but the striker suggests that his goal ratio may improve in the Premier League due to it’s attacking nature.

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Despite his very average goal record in Italy, I actually think Morata has all the qualities needed to be a real hit in the Premier League so would love to see him come to these shores this summer.

We’ll have to wait and see how things develop but Madrid are going to want to turn a big profit if they do buy-back the striker for £23.7m, so the likes of Arsenal, Chelsea and Liverpool may have to be prepared to dig deep if they want to land the player.