BLUE NO MOR Atletico Madrid confirm Chelsea flop Alvaro Morata has joined on 18-month loan

Spaniard has ended his Stamford Bridge nightmare after the Blues signed Gonzalo Higuain last week

Posted Tuesday, January 29, 2019 by Thesun.co.uk

ATLETICO MADRID have confirmed the signing of Chelsea striker Alvaro Morata on an 18-month loan.

The Spaniard was desperate to leave the Blues having lost trust of coach Maurizio Sarri, and following the arrival of Gonzalo Higuain at Stamford Bridge.

BLUE NO MOR Atletico Madrid confirm Chelsea flop Alvaro Morata has joined on 18-month loan
Alvaro Morata has joined Atletico Madrid on an 18-month loan

Morata was pictured alongside Atleti medical staff prior to his medical yesterday, days after Higuain completed his loan to Chelsea.

And now the Madrid side have confirmed they signed the Blues' outcast, who will wear a No22 shirt, on an 18-month loan.

The 26-year-old striker was delighted with his move and told the club's website: "I am very happy and very proud to be here, I can't wait to start training with my new team-mates and play."

Morata spent fours seasons at Atletico's youth academy, where he played alongside Rojiblancos ace Koke.

BLUE NO MOR Atletico Madrid confirm Chelsea flop Alvaro Morata has joined on 18-month loan
Morata scored just five Premier League goals this season

But he made his senior football debut for arch-rivals Real Madrid in 2010, before spending two seasons at Juventus and eventually moving to Stamford Bridge.

Chelsea splashed £60million on the striker 18 months ago, but the Spaniard failed to justify his price tag and fell out with Sarri this season following a string of disappointing performances.

He scored just five Premier League goals in the current campaign, prompting the Italian coach to double down on his efforts to reunite with his former Napoli hitman Higuain.

Morata was set to join Sevilla on loan, but the La Liga side could not meet Chelsea's financial demands and the deal collapsed.

The Spaniard fell out with Maurizio Sarri and was desperate to leave with Barcelona, Sevilla and Monaco challenging Atletico for his signature

Barcelona and Monaco were also rumoured to keep tabs on the striker's situation, but Atletico were the most determined side and won the race for the Spaniard's signature.

Sarri continues his Chelsea overhaul as more players are set to follow the suit.

Victor Moses has already completed his loan move to Fenerbahce, while Gary Cahill and Danny Drinkwater can also leave Stamford Bridge before the transfer window shuts on January 31.

And Callum Hudson-Odoi is desperate to quit for Bayern Munich, and has handed in a transfer request to force the move through.