Chelsea: Swapping Alvaro Morata for Donnarumma a truly moronic idea
Chelsea have entertained – and executed – some pretty dumb transfers over the years. Swapping Alvaro Morata for Gianluigi Donnarumma tops the all-time pyramid of awful ideas.
The uncertainty over manager’s position has translated itself into an uncertainty over Chelsea’s transfer activity. While other teams are busy strengthening their squad, all we hear from Chelsea is the sound of crickets chirping. That, and frivolous updates about the players’ holiday plans or some such nonsense. But amidst this doom and gloom, the rumour mill churned out a pretty extraordinary piece of gossip the other day. Brace yourselves. The banter is coming.
Let’s start with a bit of background first. The whole thing is based on Thibaut Courtois running his contract down to his final year and refusing to sign a new one. Backed into a corner, all Chelsea can do is flog him to the highest bidder this summer. Then there’s the strange case of Alvaro Morata who – according to rumours – also wants to leave Chelsea and return to Italy. And if you were to believe the gossip columns, AC Milan are willing to do Chelsea a favour by taking the Spaniard off their hands.
Their generosity does not stop there. Seeing as how the Blues might be losing their first choice goalkeeper, Milan would be willing to offer their prodigal son – Gianluigi Donnarumma – in exchange to sweeten the deal. How wonderful!
Except, it’s not wonderful. It’s not wonderful at all. This might be the worst trade deal in the history of trade deals, maybe ever.
Why, you ask? Let me break it down for you. First things first – Alvaro Morata is not a dud. He is not “The New Fernando Torres.” He is not “The New Andriy Shevchenko.” Anyone who thinks otherwise clearly needs help. Or, as in the case of other clubs, they are looking to drive down the price. You know the drill – you walk into a car lot, point out flaws (real or otherwise) in the vehicle and try to get the salesman to believe he’ll be lucky to make the sale at all.
That’s what other clubs seem to be trying with Morata and Chelsea.
If there’s even an iota of common sense left in the brain trust running this club, they will refuse to entertain any enquiries about their record signing. Alvaro Morata is a 25-year old striker who never played as the main man before last season. We’re talking about a Spain international who moved to a new league, slotted into a new tactical system and did reasonably well. He will only get better, let me assure you right now.
The calls for him to be moved on are borne of a mentality where people expect instant success from everyone but themselves. So, in a nutshell – KEEP ALVARO MORATA. Let’s not be idiots about this.
Moving on to part deux, let’s see what we know about Gianluigi Donnarumma. After a rip-roaring start to his AC Milan career, the Italian goalkeeper’s performances have oscillated between mediocre and good. The flashes of extraordinary ability are few and far between these days. Do Chelsea really need an inconsistent youngster manning the goal? Don’t they have enough of those at the club already?
And that’s without even considering the extra baggage he would bring with him. His contract negotiations with Milan were fraught with such hostility it made Milanistas turn against him. Don’t the Blues have a contract rebel between the posts already?
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His representation by Mino Raiola, an agent notorious for using his clients as pawns in his power games against clubs, only makes it worse. Raiola’s clients seem to have a relationship with him where he says “Jump” and they say “How high?” If – and it’s a big if – Donnarumma moves to another club, Raiola will not wait long before he starts hawking him around Europe again.
So, in short, let’s not be morons about Morata. He has done more than enough to deserve a second season at Chelsea. It would be unfathomably stupid of the club if they sell him or exchange him for someone else, even if it is Gonzalo Higuain.
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As for Donnarumma, better to sell Thibaut Courtois for a decent price and use that money to buy a proper replacement goalkeeper than take a punt on one of Raiola’s minions. But first, let’s hire a freaking manager, shall we?