Newcastle United are among the clubs interested in signing Atletico Madrid striker Alvaro Morata this summer, according to a report from Italian outlet Calciomercato.
The lowdown: Premier League flop
Signed by Chelsea in 2017 for a deal which could eventually have risen to £70m (Sky Sports), the Spaniard has spent the bulk of his career at the top level in Europe.
However, the former Real Madrid star only managed 24 goals and six assists from 74 outings during his time in west London and was promptly sent out on loan before securing a permanent exit.
Having spent the 2021/22 season on loan at Juventus from Atletico, Morata now faces an uncertain future in the Spanish capital, and Newcastle could be set to benefit...
The latest: Newcastle linked with Morata
As per Calciomercato, Newcastle, Bayern Munich, Arsenal and Barcelona are all in the mix to sign the 29-year-old this summer.
It's claimed that the Toon have 'taken information' on the 54-cap Spain forward, whilst Juventus are interested in taking Morata back on a permanent basis.
The report claimed that Atletico will seek a fee in the region of €30m (£25m) for the man previously praised for a 'clinical' Champions League performance against Dynamo Kiev by journalist Carlo Garganese.
The verdict: Statement signing
As the new era at St James' Park beckons, spearheaded by ownership group PIF, signing the £27m- valued Morata for the mooted asking price would be a huge statement of intent from the club, having swept comfortably clear of relegation in 2021/22.
Despite his struggles in England previously, the two-time Champions League winner has amassed a staggering 136 senior career goals from 413 outings and remains a legitimate threat after notching nine times in Serie A last term.
At present, Eddie Howe only has an injury-prone Callum Wilson, the rarely-seen Dwight Gayle and a goal-shy Chris Wood to call upon as genuine centre-forward options, meaning that any pursuit of Morata by new transfer chief Dan Ashworth would very much be a welcome one for the Newcastle manager.
In other news: Magpies make offer for this Serie A gem