Real Madrid have reportedly decided to activate Alvaro Morata’s buy-back clause for the purpose of selling him on, and the player is said to favour a move to Manchester United should Jose Mourinho become the Red Devils’ new manager. Meanwhile, Juventus have reportedly made an offer for Palmeiras starlet Gabriel Jesus.

Morata’s future has been hotly debated for months, and speculation has heated up significantly in the last few weeks. Per the Guardian’s Fabrizio Romano and Marcus Christenson, Real have now decided to exercise their buy-back clause of £23.6 million, and they’ll want roughly £40 million to sell the Spain international.

A host of clubs are said to be interested, including the likes of Arsenal, Chelsea, Leicester City, Napoli and Paris Saint-Germain, but according to the report, Morata’s first choice would be to work under his former manager Mourinho at Old Trafford.

Mourinho gave him his first-team debut at the Estadio Santiago Bernabeu, and Morata has always praised the former Chelsea boss. Speaking about the Portuguese manager, he said: “Mourinho could have chosen some other player but he chose me and I’ll be grateful to him for the rest of my life.”

Morata still has to sign off on any move—he could even decide against moving back to Real—but he’s not expected to make life difficult on Los Blancos. According to Calciomercato (h/t Football Italia), Real have already prepared the necessary paperwork, although a deal will have to wait until the transfer window opens.

Here’s a look at why so many clubs are reportedly interested in the 23-year-old:

Per WhoScored.com, Morata’s statistics aren’t spectacular, but Juventus use the Spaniard as a mobile target man and expect him to harass defenders and keep hold of the ball, more than to score. Attacking partner Paulo Dybala and the advancing midfielders will run into the gaps Morata generates and convert the chances the former Real man creates.

His stunning performance against Bayern Munich in the UEFA Champions League was a perfect example of the role he’s played in Turin. Morata proved a nightmare to contain for the Bavarians, who didn’t start playing well until after Morata left the pitch. eventually bagging a 4-2 win. Here’s how he fared in that contest:

Morata’s future will become a little clearer once he reveals what his plans are, and even if he does return to the Spanish capital, Real manager Zinedine Zidane could still opt to keep him at the club, per Calciomercato.

Juventus have already started the search for another forward, and according to Gazzetta Dello Sport (h/t Daily Star’s James Walters), the Italian giants have made a £12 million offer for Brazilian wunderkind Jesus, who has also been linked with United and Inter Milan.

The Sun’s Andrew Richardson claims the Red Devils already made an offer in the past, but Jesus maintains he wants to stay in Brazil for now, per Walters.

Here’s a look at some of his highlights:

Along with Santos’ Gabriel Barbosa, another star forward, Jesus is widely regarded as Brazil’s top young prospect, putting together a solid campaign for Palmeiras last season after a dominant run through the youth setup. The 19-year-old is frequently compared with compatriot Robinho, but unlike the former Real man, he’s often praised for his defensive contributions as well.

Football writer Jonas Giaever is a fan, even comparing him to Barcelona’s Neymar:

Per Sky Sports’ Paulo Freitas, Jesus’ agent has said the forward won’t move until the end of the year, but Freitas won’t rule out a move, despite those comments.

The Campeonato Brasileiro starts on Saturday, however, and Palmeiras won’t be too keen on selling their star forward in the middle of the Brazilian league season. It should take a significant offer to convince both Palmeiras and Jesus to go through with the transfer, and the reported offer of £12 million likely won’t cut it for Juventus.

 

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