‘I am not bothered about another player arriving’: Alvaro Morata relishing more competition as Atletico Madrid prepare to buy an extra striker
- Alvaro Morata is the top marksman this season for low-scoring Atletico Madrid
- The Spain striker scored five of his six goals during a five-match purple patch
- Atletico have been linked with Timo Werner, Edison Cavani and Olivier Giroud
- Morata said he would welcome more competition after scoring against Osasuna
- The La Liga side won their last home game of the year 2-0 and sit fifth in the table
Alvaro Morata has claimed he is ‘not bothered’ if Atletico Madrid sign strikers to rival him amid speculation linking the club with a host of forwards across Europe.
Atletico were strongly rumoured to be preparing a £50m move for Valencia’s Rodrigo Moreno at the start of the season and have been linked to RB Leipzig striker Timo Werner more recently for a similar price.
The Champions League knockout stage qualifiers have also been interested in Paris Saint-Germain’s Uruguayan striker Edison Cavani and out-of-favour Chelsea targetman Olivier Giroud.
Alvaro Morata scored the opener as Atletico beat Osasuna in their final home game of the year
The Spain striker had experienced a goal drought but returned to form as part of the 2-0 win
Atletico are not prolific but sit fifth in La Liga and are into the Champions League round of 16
Only La Liga’s bottom six sides have scored fewer goals than fifth-placed Atletico’s tally of 18 this season, and Saturday’s 2-0 home win over Osasuna was only the second time in seven league matches that Diego Simeone’s side have scored more than once.
Portugal prodigy Joao Felix and Spain striker Diego Costa have scored two goals each in La Liga, leaving Morata, who scored the opener at the Wanda Metropolitano, leading the way on six.
Having ended a run of five matches without a goal, the former Chelsea striker told Marca: ‘I’m not bothered if any other player arrives. They would be well-received.
Atletico boss Diego Simeone said he hoped Morata’s goal would signal the star’s return to form
Striker Olivier Giroud could be a target for Atletico after rarely playing for Chelsea this season
Edinson Cavani is also thought to have been a long-term transfer target for Simeone’s Atletico
‘We have a great changing room, that’s the important thing. We won our last home game of the year, which is important.’
Morata scored in five consecutive games in October and November, and Simeone said: ‘Hopefully he’ll return to the way he was before the break.
‘He was scoring in almost every game. There aren’t many people like that in football and we want to make the most of him.’
Atletico will discover their opponents in the Champions League round of 16 draw on Monday after finishing second to reigning Serie A champions Juventus in their group.