Juventus have elected to extend the loan deal of Atletico Madrid striker Alvaro Morata for a second season, Goal can confirm.
Morata arrived for a second spell at the Turin giants last summer on a temporary basis, with Juventus having the option to extend the deal by a year, buy the Spain international or terminate the agreement this summer.
And Juve have elected to keep hold of the 28-year-old forward, with the deal set to cost them a further €10 million (£8.5m/$12m).
Why are Juventus keeping Morata?
Morata was impressive in front of goal with Juventus last season as he scored 20 goals in 44 outings.
Furthermore, the appointment of Massimiliano Allegri has been important in this deal. Allegri has previously worked with Morata and got very good results with the former Real Madrid and Chelsea hitman, while the player also has a strong desire to stay with the Turin side.
Nevertheless, Juventus, whose financial difficulties are well known, tried to secure a discount on the loan fee for the striker, but Atletico Madrid rejected that attempt.
Due to these parameters, Allegri is returning to the squad at a difficult moment, although qualification for next season’s Champions League, which was secured on the final day of the season, should mean that there is greater financial flexibility.
In any case, Morata grants Juve a sense of continuity in their squad, despite the new cycle that they are working towards.
Further reading
- Juventus confirm Allegri return having parted with Pirlo
- Ronaldo says he's left his mark amid Juve future questions
- Allegri in, Ronaldo out? Returning coach may get overhaul
