Ex-Chelsea chief confirms Alvaro Morata wasn’t Antonio Conte’s first choice
Michael Emenalo has appeared to suggest that Alvaro Morata was not Antonio Conte's first choice for a striker at Chelsea in the summer
Alvaro Morata was not Antonio Conte’s first choice for a striker signing in the summer transfer window, according to former Chelsea technical director Michael Emenalo.
Chelsea completed a deal to land Morata back in July after having been heavily linked with a move to re-sign former Blues forward Romelu Lukaku.
However, after Lukaku ended up signing for Manchester United from Everton, Chelsea seemed to move quickly to tie up a deal for Morata from Real Madrid.
There had, of course, been suggestions that Morata was not Conte’s first-choice striker in the summer transfer window, given the way that events panned out.
Now, former Chelsea technical director Emenalo – who left Stamford Bridge to move to Monaco earlier this season – has appeared to hint that Morata was indeed not Conte’s first choice.
Speaking in an interview with talkSPORT, former Chelsea chief Emenalo said: “As everybody knows in every walk of life, you develop an idea and you have a policy in mind and you have an intent, and if it doesn’t go the way you want, there is some level of disappointment.
“But I can tell you today Conte is extremely happy with Alvaro Morata, and I think that is down to Morata and is also down to the fantastic work they do at Cobham.
“There are no ill feelings now, I think he’s moved on from that and he’s just focused on trying to get through what is a tough schedule and to try and find some rhythm with the team again.”
Morata has made a fine start to life at Stamford Bridge since his move, scoring nine goals and making four assists in his first 14 Premier League games for the west London side.
He will be hoping to start for the Blues when they take on West Ham United at the London Stadium on Saturday lunchtime.
