Chelsea transfer target wants to “feel important,” Conte and Mourinho not available for comment

Chelsea transfer target Alvaro Morata crossed swords with Jose Mourinho at Real Madrid. The striker now wants to join a team “that makes me feel important,” a demand that may rule out a move to either Manchester United or Chelsea.

Alvaro Morata has already had a busier transfer season than most players. After taking several cycles through the rumor mill, Real Madrid executed their buy-back clause to bring their academy product back from Juventus.

However, their intentions were financial rather than football. As the Independent reported, Real sold Morata for £16 million, activated the buy-back for £24 million and now look to sell him for £30 million.

Strictly business.

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Having been dissatisfied with his playing time as a youth in Real Madrid’s system and likely having a foul impression of the club’s cold economic calculations, Morata is now looking for a more welcoming environment.

“I want a team that makes me feel important,” the Daily Mail quotes Morata. “I do not have to prove anything to anyone. I am a player of Real Madrid and they will decide if they want me, otherwise we will find another solution.”

Alvaro Morata joined Real Madrid as a youth after playing his first years of academy football at Atletico Madrid and Getafe. As an 18-year old he joined the club for a preseason international tour, which he thought would be his springboard into Real’s first team. This was not the case under the youth policy of Real’s then-manager, a Portuguese named Jose Mourinho.

Morata was primed for a starting role at Real in January 2011 when an injury felled striker Gonzalo Higuain. Mourinho dismissed this possibility out of hand, saying “Morata is not yet prepared to be incumbent on the Madrid. He trains with us, but you have to keep learning at Castilla.”

Morata made 14 appearances in Real’s first team under Mourinho. He languished in Real Madrid B until the 2013-14 season, when another ex-Chelsea manager, Carlo Ancelotti, took over at the Bernabeu. Morata made 23 appearances and scored eight goals that season, before departing for Juventus. Morata arrived at the Italian side less than a week after incoming Chelsea manager Antonio Conte himself departed to take over Italy’s national team.

Morata is now an established international and club player, having won two domestic doubles with Juventus and being named to UEFA’s Champions League squad of the season in 2015.

Despite his accomplishments, he may not fit the bill for Mourinho’s Manchester United squad which is already heavy on youth talent but light on experience, leadership and big-game composure. Alternatively, Mourinho may see him as a solid bridge between 30-year old Wayne Rooney and 18-year old Marcus Rashford.

If Mourinho is willing to lay out the money to bring Morata to Old Trafford, Morata needs to be willing to set aside his earlier experiences with Mourinho. If either player or coach retains a sour taste from Real Madrid, Morata will be an early actor in a Mourinho soap opera.

Conte is not the kind of manager that makes any one player feel important. Conte’s emphasis on the team over the individual and his proclivity to berate semi-publicly even his veterans and captains means he will not be giving Morata any arm-around-the-shoulder pep talks.

The Jose Mourinho saga of 2015/16 revealed that Chelsea already has a locker room prone to ego deflations and dramatics. Eden Hazard and Diego Costa require a large amount of personal attention, but have the offensive output to justify the manager’s attentions.

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Morata is much less of a known quantity. Conte may be unwilling to bring any new sources of drama into a locker room that already requires a psychological rebuild. Morata may have just talked himself out of a move to Stamford Bridge.