Atletico Madrid look set to stick by Alvaro Morata, as he moves into his thirties.
The Madrid-born striker returned from a two-year loan at Juventus last summer, and has not won a starting place in the Atleti side, playing second fiddle to Memphis Depay of late. Yet he has impressed the Civitas Metropolitano with his work-rate and dedication.
Despite coming off the bench often, he has shown plenty of commitment, scoring twice and assisting off the bench against Sevilla. Overall, he has 12 goals and 3 assists in 36 appearances, 25 of which were starts.
Atletico want to keep him around. According to Relevo, Morata has a renewal offer from Los Colchoneros. His current deal expires in 2024, when he will be 31. They have an option to automatically extend his deal this summer by a year, but want to put him on a longer contract. It is not expected to include a salary rise.
Morata is happy in Madrid, and is not negotiating with other sides, which should keep him at the club. As a result, Atleti’s interest in Mateo Retegui is cooling rapidly.
Depending on his salary, Morata could be a good deal for Atleti. Hard-working, happy to fight for his place, and bought into the club, Morata is handy striker, providing they are not relying on him for 20 goals per season.