Players being linked to Manchester United is nothing new, all thanks to the media and United’s vast financial resources. Alvaro Morata to Manchester United is turning out to be one of the biggest transfer talk of the summer transfer market this time around,after Antoine Greizmann signed a new contract with Atletico. With Manchester United already confirming their stance on Zlatan Ibrahimovic,Jose Mourinho has reportedly turned to the Real Madrid striker as the ideal replacement for the Swede. But is Alvaro Morata the answer to Manchester United’s striking woes?
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Having just won the Champions League with Real, rumours has it that the Spanish striker has been largely left frustrated by his lack of games, with Zidane favouring Karim Benzema up at top to partner Cristiano Ronaldo. Pundits and fans alike have warmed to the possibility of this switch, and backs Morata to largely succeed at Old Trafford. What started as a casual rumour has now gained heat over the last few weeks and it is largely believed that the move for Morata will materialise ,especially after his agent was spotted at the Bernabeu just a few days back.
With the move now seeming inevitable, Let us have a look at what qualities Morata could bring to the United squad.
1) Alvaro Morata can score immediate goals:
Manchester United have been too reliant on Zlatan Ibrahimovic for goals, with the big Swede scoring 28 this season. However, now that United have decided to release Zlatan and with the future of Wayne Rooney uncertain, they are in desperate need of a world class centre forward who can fill the special void left by Ibra.
With Lukaku rumoured to be Chelsea bound and United unwilling to spend 85 million euros on Andrea Belotti, Morata fits the bill perfectly. With just 20 goals, the 80 million euro price tag on his head might not seem to be too tempting . However, the 15 league goals he bagged came during 1,334 minutes of football which is essentially a goal every 88 minutes. If that isn’t efficient and reliable, I don’t know what is!
2) Speed and technical skills:
Jose Mourinho handed an 18 year old Morata his debut against Real Zaragoza during his time at the Spanish Capital. Under Mourinho, he predominantly played on the left wing, with Ronaldo slowly evolving into a centre forward at the time .
This gave Morata the freedom to explore and discover his best qualities as a forward, and learning quickly it’s not all about scoring goals. This has perhaps helped him to be the technically sound player he is today.
3) Hold-up qualities :
It’s not always one would associate and connect strength with pace. However, at 6’2, Morata offers a physical presence that is extremely useful when it comes in hold up play and can also get at the end of crosses . Of course , Lukaku is another striker who exhibits both pace and great strength.
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But what sets Morata apart from Lukaku is his better composure in the final third when it comes to touches and link up play.He likes to involve the players around himself, which is saying something for a centre forward. In short, he is the ideal striker who can score goals, and also give the ideal kind of support to youngsters like Rashford and Martial, two of probably Europe’s brightest talents.
4) Experience :
For a 24 year old , he has had incredible success. 15 titles with Juventus and Real Madrid, probably two of the best clubs in the world at the moment, would have given him enough exposure and experience to be a success at the big stage.
He has played two champions league final already,in fact scoring in one of them for Juventus against Barcelona . So there won’t be the additional pressure of leading the forward line in a club like Manchester United. This is one main factor which arises in his favour. Lukaku is often accused of under performing in important matches,although it is a tad unfair to him seeing that he plays for a mid-table club.
Perhaps Morata’s biggest challenge is to maintain his impressive strike rate and conversion rate throughout an entire season. The big question is, is he the solution to United’s goal scoring issues? If he does end up signing for Manchester United, it will undoubtedly be the biggest challenge he has ever faced in his career,as he has never been the main striker before.Undoubtedly talented, he has his limitations. However, he has everything he has to succeed in the Premier League; the talent, the experience and silverware. And he has time on his side. At 24,it’s the right time for him to take the next step in his career. And who better to take him there than the man who gave him his big break?
