Chelsea: Conte makes contact with Real Madrid over potential January move for Morata

14 gen 2017

As we reported yesterday evening, Chelsea boss Antonio Conte has had another argument with the Blues striker Diego Costa and sources have told calciomercato.com that the Italian tactician is considering signing one big name in January to cover a potential departure of the former Atletico Madrid ace.

Diego Costa has also received a big-money offer from Chinese Super League side Tianjin Quanjian, a team coached by 2006 Italy World Cup hero Fabio Cannavaro and the same team that has just signed Axel Witsel from Zenit St. Petersburg.

Although Diego Costa’s Chelsea January exit remains highly unlikely, Antonio Conte doesn’t want to rule out other options and has already shortlisted a couple of strikers who could potentially replace his best striker.

Real Madrid star Alvaro Morata tops Conte’s transfer shortlist and Chelsea have recently made contact with the LaLiga giants over a possible January transfer of the former Juventus frontman.

Real Madrid, however, have informed Chelsea that Morata is not for sale, especially in the current transfer window, as they’ve been handed a one window transfer ban and would be impossible for them to sign a replacement for the Spanish striker if he leaves the Bernabeu in January.

Everton’s Romelu Lukaku is another player on Conte’s wish-list but, at the moment, the most likely option to be chosen at Stamford Bridge is the permanence of Diego Costa until the rest of the season, despite last week’s argument with his boss.