The transfer news stories are getting juicier with every passing day, but the one returning item on the menu has been Antoine Griezmann’s links with a high-profile move to Manchester United – would the Red Devils be better off pursuing Alvaro Morata instead?
Real Madrid’s Morata could be United’s answer to a lot of questions, while Griezmann’s future is still very much up in the air.
This story is sure to keep rolling for another few weeks, with plenty of twists and turns, and while that will frustrate a few Red Devils fans, it will also entertain the rest of us.
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So, let's run through a few of the reasons why United should lay off Griezmann and go for Morata instead.
Ibra’s departure highlights need for goalscorer – Morata is that star
News of Zlatan Ibrahimovic’s release from Old Trafford means that Manchester United are in desperate need of securing a world-class centre-forward (or two) ahead of the 2017/18 campaign – Morata can fill those special boots left behind by Ibra.
Plus, with Wayne Rooney also rumoured to be on his way out the exit door, securing Morata’s signature is even more important.
The twittersphere is full of declarations and signals that the Spaniard is close to agreeing personal terms and that both clubs have settled on a price somewhere in the region of £65-70 million, though The Independent have insisted that figure could decrease with Los Blancos looking to get money fast to finance deals for AS Monaco’s Kylian Mbappe and others.
#SquawkaScout: Alvaro Morata.14 starts in LaLiga15 goals in LaLigaStrengths and weakness? pic.twitter.com/2GkL8gCAJc
— Squawka Football (@Squawka) June 10, 2017
In all competitions for Madrid last season, Morata bagged 20 goals. That might not seem like a lot for someone valued so expensively, but when one breaks it down, the striker’s effectiveness becomes incredibly clear. The 15 league goals he bagged came during 1,334 minutes of football which works out at a goal every 88 minutes – that’s a guaranteed goal every game.
Talk about reliable.
Morata has been suffocated by the wealth of talent in the Champions League winners’ squad – most specifically by Ronaldo – but it seems undeniable just how good he has been with restricted opportunities.
If United secure his services, he could turn out to be one of their best-ever signings. Given freedom to express himself, and with a point to prove ahead of the 2018 World Cup in Russia, English Premier League defences could be in for a torrid time facing the 24-year-old marksman.
Mourinho and Morata know each other well
December 12, 2010 – the date Jose Mourinho handed Alvaro Morata is official Real Madrid debut during a match against Real Zaragoza.
Since then, the pair have been linked together through that moment, and it is one that Mourinho is desperate to return to: to be able to be reunited with a player he helped nurture as a teenage sensation could be the tonic he needs to rejig his love for the beautiful game. It’s undeniable how stressed the “Special One” was last season, but Morata would offer a return to a simpler footballing life – the player suits Mourinho, they have a rapport.
Not unlike Ibra, Morata has many strings to his bow. He is physically very strong, an attribute which ought to serve him well in the more combative Premier League. He is also aerially powerful and knows how to score headed goals, again boosted by his height and frame.
He is also a clinical finisher – capable of poaching goals, sniping from long range or slotting balls in past goalkeepers from tight angles, Morata has a vast array of different finishes.
Technically adept, he can dribble, knows how to keep possession under pressure and is wise in the choices he makes inside the box.
With the likes of Marcus Rashford, Antonio Valencia and Paul Pogba providing the right sort of service into him, Morata can flourish.
Recalling back in April when Mou blasted his strikers for not being able to score a goal against West Bromwich Albion, it’s obvious the Portuguese coach has a very love-hate relationship with the role of a forward in his system. Ibra was a great stop-gap resolution to United’s goalscoring problems, but it sort of did more harm than good because Mourinho didn’t know which of his other attackers (the constantly evolving Marcus Rashford aside) he could trust.
Morata could be the necessary long-term solution.
Also read: 12 biggest stars released by Premier League clubs in summer 2017
Griezmann is far too expensive
The need for a straight-up goalscorer has lessened the chance United will opt for Griezmann this summer.
No-one can deny the innate world-class ability the France international possesses. Blessed with bistering pace, low-centre of gravity, insane dribbling skills and an on-field intellect to unlock defences with the swish of a ball, “Griez lightning” is officially one of the top three players in the world following his third place finish in the most recent Ballon d’Or award.
United would likely have to splash a world-record transfer sum to secure the diminutive Atleti star’s services, plus there would be the trouble of paying his gargantuan wages.
Morata is the cheaper option, for sure, but he is also the more suitable choice.
Griezmann could, potentially, give United some extra bite up front – he’s good enough to make a difference to any team, but it could be a case of trying to shoehorn him into a system that doesn’t naturally suit him at first.
It’s a bit like when Pogba first arrived on the scene, Mourinho was set on playing him as an out-and-out central midfielder, but he was not used to that role at Juventus, where he had licence to prowl forward and get into more advanced roles. Seeing him struggle for months before getting a handle on a more withdrawn position has shown just how long it can take for even a player of his ability to adapt.
It could be the same if Griezmann was taken on board – and United don’t want to wait another season for things to take shape. The fans want results and impact from the get-go.
Morata can provide that.
Also read: 7 major records broken in Europe this season
