“Bernabeu” (CC BY 2.0) by Ian D
Alvaro Morata left Real Madrid to join Juventus in July 2014 for a fee in the region of £16m.
The forward struggled to break into the starting line-up due to the presence of Cristiano Ronaldo and Karim Benzema, despite impressing in his rare appearances in the team.
Carlo Ancelotti decided to cash in on the Spaniard as the Serie A outfit pounced for his signature ahead of a number of clubs across Europe.
The 23-year-old has gone on to enjoy great success with Juventus, earning the nod to lead the line for Spain in Euro 2016 due to his exploits for Massimiliano Allegri’s men.
As a result of his form, Morata has been linked with a return to Real, although he may opt to remain with I Bianconeri in their pursuit of a sixth league title on the spin.
Juventus are backed at 4/7 in the Serie A betting odds at the time of writing to create history by becoming the first team in the history of the league to win the crown for six-straight seasons.
Despite the possibility of achieving a momentous feat, Morata may be convinced to return to his hometown club as they also have the chance at history in their bid to win the Champions League in back-to-back campaigns.
Zinedine Zidane’s men are blessed with a plethora of talent in the final third with Cristiano Ronaldo, Karim Benzema and Gareth Bale, along with Jese at the Frenchman’s disposal.
However, other than Jese who has not been prolific in his limited starting time on the pitch, Madrid’s attacking trio will have racked up the matches in recent seasons, and Ronaldo displayed signs of toll towards the end of the campaign with a spate of injuries.
At 31 the Portuguese’s best days are likely behind, although he remains one of the most dominant players in the game.
Zidane will have acknowledged the burden placed on Ronaldo as well as Benzema and Bale, leading to his interest in bringing Morata back to the club.
The 23-year-old has not been a renowned goalscorer for I Bianconeri in his two seasons at the club, notching just 15 strikes in 63 Serie A appearances.
However, the Spaniard was a key player in Juve’s surge towards the Champions League final in 2015, scoring five goals including his side’s equaliser against Barcelona in their 3-1 defeat in Berlin.
Morata has the physical tools needed to line the line against the toughest of defences, while he also has the distribution skills needed to thrive in La Liga as his displays for Spain have proved.
However, his style of play also appears to be a perfect fit in Serie A where his lack of goals can be covered the brilliance of Leonardo Bonucci and Giorgio Chiellini at the back.
Should Morata continue his same strike rate in front of goal with Madrid, it would leave him open to criticism and put further pressure on Bale, Ronaldo and Benzema.
On the surface it seems that a return to the Spanish capital could be a romantic notion for both parties, but given the situation of Real and the 23-year-old it may be worth waiting another season before a potential reunion is confirmed.