Atletico Madrid coach Diego Simeone made it clear that he doesn’t want to lose Alvaro Morata this summer, amidst interest from Milan, Inter and Roma.
The 30-year-old Spaniard has been heavily linked with a return to Serie A this summer, attracting the attention of multiple top sides, but his €20m release clause has so far stopped any clubs making a move.
Morata knows Serie A well, having scored 59 goals in 185 games for Juventus, and the lack of accessible options in the striker market has made him an attractive prospect for Milan, Inter and Roma.
Speaking to AS, Simeone gave his thoughts on Morata and his importance to Atletico Madrid.
“It depends on the club, and it depends on him. We are clear who stays and who leaves. He is a very important player for us. He has characteristics as a centre forward that no one else has.
“Memphis is the closest to him, but he also likes to get out of the box and join the build-up. Álvaro stretches the team, he’s tall and has a great header. He’s essential.
“We hope he stays with us. We hope we can help him overcome that goal barrier. He has scored more goals with us than with Juventus and this generates enthusiasm for us. The team needs him.”
Inter have started to move away from Morata and are now seemingly working on a deal for West Ham striker Gianluca Scamacca.
A deal for the Spaniard is likely too expensive for Roma, so they’ve reignited their interest in Santos talent Marcos Leonardo.