CONFIRMED! Chelsea announce Alvaro Morata deal with Real Madrid

Posted Thursday, July 20, 2017 by ESPN

CONFIRMED! Chelsea announce Alvaro Morata deal with Real Madrid
Alvaro Morata scored 15 league goals despite being Real Madrid's second-choice striker last season.

Chelsea have agreed terms with Real Madrid for the signing of striker Alvaro Morata, the Premier League club have announced.

The deal is now subject to agreeing personal terms with the player and passing a medical, according to the club.

The Spain international played last season at the Bernabeu after spending two years with Juventus.

"I am very happy," Morata told Marca after the deal was announced.

"God willing, tomorrow I will be at Chelsea, a club that has always admired me."

Morata, who had been wanted by a number of Europe's top clubs including Manchester United and AC Milan, scored 15 goals in 26 La Liga games, mostly as a reserve last season.

United had originally been favourites to land Morata, but turned to Romelu Lukaku after failing to come close enough to Real's reported £75 million asking price.

That left the way clear for Chelsea to step up their bid for the Spanish star, who has called this offseason a "strange" one for him.

"Again, I do not think I'm going back to Madrid, I find it difficult and for now it's not something that I am considering," Morata said.

"It was clear that the goal was to leave, it's been a fairly strange summer and until I pass the medical examination, I'm not going to be calm."

Despite making no secret of his desire to leave Real, Morata jetted out for the club's preseason tour to the U.S., from which he is now expected to return.

Despite his 15 league goals last season, he grew increasingly frustrated at his limited opportunities behind Cristiano Ronaldo, Gareth Bale and Karim Benzema.

The deal will also be a timely boost for Conte who had endured frustration after failing to land either Lukaku or another potential signing, Borussia Dortmund's Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang.