Man United ‘in talks’ over shock move for Euro 2024 captain who wants Old Trafford move as they fear huge transfer miss

Man United ‘in talks’ over shock move for Euro 2024 captain who wants Old Trafford move as they fear huge transfer miss

Manchester United are stepping up their hunt for a new striker and former Chelsea man Alvaro Morata has reportedly emerged as a bargain option.

The player most recently linked to the Red Devils is Joshua Zirkzee, a standout player for Bologna. The co-owner of the team has a wishlist of intriguing names. But according to rumors,

Ratcliffe isn’t placing all of his eggs in one basket and Liverpool is planning to sabotage Man Utd’s attempt to sign Zirkzee.

The Mirror quoted claims from Turkey stating that Man Utd is reportedly interested in Atletico Madrid striker Alvaro Morata. They allegedly “held talks” “over a potential summer transfer” with the 31-year-old’s advisors.

Morata is currently away on international duty with Spain at Euro 2024, where he has worn the captain’s armband, and scored in their 3-0 win over Croatia last week.

The experienced forward has had stints with Real Madrid, Juventus, Atletico and Chelsea so far in his career – but struggled to make his mark during his time in the Premier League.

It seems Morata is open to another opportunity in English football and could be a good option for Man Utd as they eye competition for Rasmus Hojlund.

Morata is under contract with Atletico until 2026 and remains a key player for Diego Simeone’s side, having scored 15 goals in LaLiga in 2023/24.

The report claims that Morata has a bargain €12m (£10.1m) release clause in his deal, which has led to Man Utd ‘taking an interest’ in him.

It’s suggested that Man Utd have a budget of £50m budget for the summer (NOT including money generated from potential sales) and bringing in a player of Morata’s quality and experience for a relatively low fee is a good opportunity.

Roma, Juventus, Borussia Dortmund and Fenerbahce are among the other clubs credited with an interest in Morata, so they will have to move quickly to get a deal done.

Zirkzee remains Man Utd’s main striker target for now while they are also doing due diligence on Lille star Jonathan David.

Nevertheless, Morata is a name for United fans to keep a close eye on over the coming weeks as they step up their transfer plans for the summer.

Ratcliffe is still keen to strengthen in defence and midfield, too, with a second bid for Everton centre-back Jarrad Branthwaite likely to be submitted in the coming days.