Alvaro Morata revealed that he was close to leaving Juventus for Barcelona in the January transfer window until Massimiliano Allegri rejected the idea.
The 29-year-old Spanish forward recently spent two years with the Bianconeri on loan from Atletico Madrid, where he played a key creative role in the attack under Allegri. Although he wasn’t particularly prolific in Turin, Morata was an important part of the team’s forward moves and helped bring his teammates into play.
Speaking to Cadena Ser, Morata looked back at the January transfer window and his possible move to Barcelona.
“It’s true, there was interest from Barcelona. Xavi called me, we talked about football, about everything. It was a pleasure, I appreciated that a former player like Xavi was counting on me, it made me feel good.
“I had four or five good opportunities, but Allegri blocked everything. He was clear: ‘I want you to stay, I want to see you play with Vlahovic’. It was an effort for me to play on the left, but I did it.”
Last season in Turin, Morata scored 12 goals and provided nine assists in 48 appearances across all competitions. He returned to the Spanish capital in the summer after Juventus failed to agree an acceptable deal with Atletico Madrid.
The 29-year-old has played well since his return and has netted three goals in his first six La Liga appearances of the campaign.
yet again allegri destroying players
@mohammed why? He appreciated Morata’s talent.
Why? He saved Barca