AC Milan were heavily linked with a move for Joshua Zirkzee a few weeks ago but after missing out on him they decided to turn to a very different profile.
La Gazzetta dello Sport have spoken about the decision to go for Alvaro Morata, one which starts from a very simple premise: the management never follow just one objective, instead there are always at least four or five targets for each role.
At that point the club starts discussions with the parties involved, gathers information and reflects on what to do, evaluating the pros and cons of each operation. After missing out on Zirkzee over commissions, they went for a more ‘safe’ bet.
What exactly does that mean? Well, it takes broad shoulders to thrive under the pressure of 70,000 fans at San Siro and on the biggest stages, yet Morata has shown in his time at Juventus, Real Madrid, Chelsea and Atletico Madrid that he can do it.
From the league title and cups won with Juve to the Champions Leagues won with Real and the European Championship with Spain on Sunday, the 31-year-old boasts an impressive CV when it comes to getting over the line.
Milan looked at names like Benjamin Sesko, Serhou Guirassy, Viktor Gyökeres, Romelu Lukaku and Zirkzee, then Romelu Lukaku’s name came up, but they went for Morata in an almost €50m operation. The €13m clause plus at least €32m for salary (four-year contract at €4.5-5m per season plus an option) show this is far from a cheap option.
There is also the tactical aspect to consider. Morata has adapted his game and now is good both in link-up play but also in finishing chances that arrive inside the box. His performances with Spain – where he has Williams and Yamal to either side – show what he can do.
Considering that Milan have quite direct wingers like Rafael Leao, Samuel Chukwueze and Noah Okafor plus runners like Christian Pulisic, Tijjani Reijnders and Ruben Loftus-Cheek, it could create a perfect harmony.
A nightmare
Bad investment.
4.5-5m per season for 4 years is not 32 million.
Add transfer fee lol
How much? Lol
They say 32m is separate from 13m transfer fee. Maybe it is the tax?
5M will he net. Gross will be around 7M, maybe more. I’d how this goes with no growth thingy.
He fits right into this kind of team with wingers. This was a given. And I think there is something wrong with the math here.
And compared to some of the other players who would demand similar wages (4 million easily), this is actually a more affordable option.
Was expecting a three year deal, but OK.
I’m not sure their profiles are as different as they initially seem. Zirkzee’s not really come to use his physical frame and neither are 1-in-2 goalscorers, they’re 1-in-3 guys who are fantastic at working for their teammates, receiving the ball into feet and completing transitions. We probably lose a ‘route 1’ option with Morata but we gain some of the experience we were losing with Giroud.
Big increase in spend compared to Giroud though, looking at double per year what we were paying for his services
True. Anyone who watched Spain this Euro 2024, would know that Morata was a really key part of the attack. And he clicks well with wingers. He also operates well in limited space. He also knows the league.
I’m not sure why some would say this is bad business. It all evens out in the end, and the low transfer fee more than makes it up for it.
Yep – but apparently we’re the crazy ones for being okay with an experienced affordable proven goal scorer who combines like magic with his teammates.
Drew didn’t agree with that. He thought Morata had jack sh|t to do with Spanish wins…
Just goes to show that many who comment here don’t always understand what they watch but go on to claim experience in the game.
Metrics outside of goals and assists aren’t palpable enough. Like an attackers movement off the ball and space creation for others to run into (which is incidentally how Spain scored their first goal😃).
Morata, while not the first choice, is absolutely worth the 13mil + wages and I’m looking forward to seeing how Fonseca shapes the front line.
He is proven striker and very very experienced. He can guarantee atleast 15 goals. I am optimistic.
Morata is the cheapest crazy media, let’s do the maths, Zirkzee has 40 million release clause, 15 million commission plus 4.5 million a year for 4 years plus add on that’s a total of 75 million or should we calculate Lukaku 8million a season and we would probably offer him 4 years minus add on then we Chelsea demanding 38 million pounds, whoelse is on the list; is it Sesko, Serhou or Gyokeres lord have mercy if I should calculate the entire expenditure to purchase them, so please stopping the nonsense narrative about how expensive Morata is more the rest players
Bingo. Any of those others would have cost us 75+ million in total, perhaps even more (in Lukaku’s case would have been 85-90 million I think). It’s weird they sum up the salary as if its all due on one day. It’s just funky math. Of course players get paid salaries every year. lol. They don’t play for free. They aren’t interns.
So yes, Morata is definitely the cheapest and most sensible option.
Fact
Ah cheap and sensible, thats what draws the fans
A square peg in the square hole, buddy. Just doesn’t seem shiny or expensive enough for you? 🙂
Morata was definitely the best deal but I don’t think it’s fair to use Chelsea’s opening offer to gauge Lukaku’s price. Wouldn’t be surprised if someone gets him for 50 including salary not 90. Morata is just as good for 35 though.
Right? First they’re complaining he’s too cheap and now he’s too expensive.
Hahaha
Has nothing to do with price! Has to do with quality and age!!
FYI Julian Alvarez (brilliant player) is now number 1 to replace him at Athletico.
Milan 15th on Deloitte money list
Athletico 17th
One team wants to win, the other wants profit
Square peg in a square hole. Alvarez won’t fit our system doesn’t matter who’s replacing who.
Don’t waste your time bro, it’s hardly a surprise that the fans saying for more than a year “wait and see” and defending that lousy management above all are happy with any kind of transfer. We would recruit a blind striker or a duck with three legs and they would qualify it a genius move.
Morata has been criticised during the Euro for his lack of play, generally considered as the worse player of that Spain team that doesn’t have any good striker. Despite a very affordable release clause, no other top club tried to recruit him and Atletico is happy to let him go but for us it’s like the heist of the century…
After 4 years, Zirkzee has a transfer value, while Morata has none. Plus, he was the worst in Spain’s attack.
That’s a lie. He was a key part of Spain’s attack and allowed Williams and Yamal to do their work. He linked up with both of them. And we don’t know if Zirkzee will succeed or not. He’s a gamble. Morata isn’t.
Attack
Lamine Yamal (7.5/10):
Struggled against Shaw in the first half but took advantage of the left-back’s poor positioning to create the opener for Williams right after half-time. Also played a fantastic through-ball that Morata wasted, but arguably should have taken at least one of the chances that came his way.
Dani Olmo (7.5/10):
Booked for a studs-up challenge on Rice and scuffed his shot when well-placed just after the opener, but did create a decent chance for Yamal before making an incredible clearance off the line in the dying seconds.
Nico Williams (8/10):
Initially struggled against Walker but broke the deadlock with a wonderfully controlled finish with the left foot he was so reluctant to use in the first half. Also created a great opening for Olmo immediately after and was involved in a scintillating move that ended with Yamal shooting straight at Pickford.
Alvaro Morata (5.5/10):
A poor touch saw him butcher a promising break and he ruined another by shooting instead of passing. Also blew his big chance by inexplicably deciding against dinking the ball over Pickford but worked tirelessly until his 68th-minute substitution.
Like I said, the worst in attack.
So dense from Stefan – that’s the type of contributor on here that I was talking about up above…
So you guys curse at the management for be selling club but you are the one that thinking that way now? Are you plan to buy striker now tu sold him 4 years later?
You’re talking net wages there too, you can add another 12-15 in fees and taxes for Zirkzee, more for Lukaku
morata is really a safe bet.
i really like this move.
people saying he’s old like we didn’t rely on a 37 years old giroud before.
for people who keep complaining:
aside from kane and haaland, which striker do you think will guarantee a 20+ goals?
i said guarantee, not potentially.
and if there are, at what cost?
you want milan to blow all their budget on 1 player alone?
or do you want to sacrifice players like leao or theo for 1 big signing?
people be complaining milan sign an experienced, ready to go player like morata yet next time milan sign another young player with potential people will still be complaining about money ball bla bla bla
Nobody is complaining about Morata, and for the fact that Giroud succeeded doesn’t mean he must but we all pray he do, meanwhile there a lot of strikers who would guarantee Milan 20 plus goals, but we don’t also have to break the bank for them when there Morata very much available and cheap this comes to the comment of the day, the media should stop lying about the expenditure when clearly that’s the cheapest in all of the names mentioned above. We are okay with Morata but media that has to make readers or consumers of their informations look stupid.
Nobody is complaining about Morata, and for the fact that Giroud succeeded doesn’t mean he must but we all pray he does, meanwhile there are a lot of strikers who would guarantee Milan 20 plus goals, but we don’t also have to break the bank for them when Morata is very much available and cheap this comes to the comment of the day, the media should stop lying about the expenditure been more expensive when clearly that’s the cheapest in all of the names mentioned above. We are okay with Morata but media hoax is not okay and we don’t look stupid.
Please just ignore my previous post due to the typo-errors there!!! Thanks
dude you should check other post in this website to see if there is really nobody complaining about morata
Name 2 strikers that would guarantee you 20+ goals in Seria A?
Can’t think of any, you could say Haaland. But would have to build a very functional team where he can finish off moves. As he is a useless player unless he is at the end of an attack. Strikers are now about functionality and bringing others into play rather than a pure goalscorers. Sheva or Raul type players rather than a pippo or batigol
He played fantastic in the Euros, with fantastic workrate and great linkup play. If utilized correctly I believe this is a good signing. Before the Euros id say “meh”, but after I am all in.
It is a cheap option, yes, but this makes sure we have topclass mentality in the squad, as well as more money to invest in other departments in the squad. Stay positive!