JUVENTUS have reportedly turned to Alvaro Morata after failing with a bid for Barcelona striker Luis Suarez.
Passport issues mean the Uruguayan will not be able to complete his £13.5million move to Juventus before the October 5 transfer deadline.
Alvaro Morata is being eyed by Juventus for a return to the club, according to reportsCredit: Reuters
Former Juve target Luis Suarez could head to Atletico Madrid as the striker’s replacementCredit: Reuters
That has forced the Serie A champions to look elsewhere with Edin Dzeko and Moise Kean among those on their wishlist.
But another former Juve star, Morata, is now on their radar.
According to Italian journalist Fabrizio Romano, the club have offered £9million to take the Atletico Madrid forward on loan.
A further £41m fee is on the table to make that deal permanent at a later date.
Such a move would reportedly enable Atletico to swoop for Suarez.
Diego Simeone’s side were linked with the 33-year-old over the weekend as his move to Juventus collapsed.
Suarez has been told by new Barcelona coach Ronald Koeman that his time at the Camp Nou is over.
Reports on Monday suggested his contract had been terminated, allowing him to leave for free.
Barcelona are keen to shift some of their highest earners off a huge wage bill
A tally of 21 goals and 12 assists appeared to show the veteran forward’s worth before the Dutchman’s arrival, which is heralding a major clearout.
Like Barcelona, Atletico are hard hit by the coronavirus crisis and must sell before they can buy this autumn.
Morata, 27, cost the Madrid club £58m when signing from Chelsea in July, following an 18-month loan spell.
A productive two-year stint at Juventus earlier in his career saw the Spaniard win a pair of Scudetto titles and reach the 2015 Champions League final.
And Morata has come into view after Suarez’s Italy switch was binned.
Juventus sporting director Fabio Paratici told Sky Sports Italia on Sunday: “Suarez can be removed from that list.
Morata was a big hit in Turin during his first stint at JuventusCredit: AP:Associated Press
“The time it takes to get the passport is longer than the transfer deadline or the moment we can hand in the Champions League squad lists.
“We evaluated the Suarez option when it was proposed to us. He was in the process of getting Italian citizenship, so we evaluated the possibility of registering him in time.
“It is not possible, so he was never really close.”
Alvaro Morata claims only Spanish players passed to him while at Chelsea
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
