Morata urges Chelsea to move for €20m Real Madrid target

Chelsea striker Alvaro Morata reportedly wants the club to beat Real Madrid to the signing of Kepa Arrizabalaga.

The Athletic Bilbao keeper is a transfer target for Real and a reports last week claimed the 23-year-old’s move to the European champions was already done. Spanish journalist Pipi Estrada claimed Kepa will sign on at the Bernabeu in the next transfer window with his contract set to expire in the summer.

Morata though wants Chelsea to go for the highly-rated keeper, who made his senior debut for Spain in the 5-0 win over Costa Rica earlier this month.

Don Balon claims Chelsea have been made aware that Belgium No. 1 keeper Thibaut Courtois will not spend his whole career at Stamford Bridge and they know they will need to find a replacement soon.

Courtois is under contract until 2019, and Morata has suggested to Chelsea that they bring in Kepa, who may well reject a move to Real Madrid so he is not labelled a “traitor” in Spain.

The player’s release clause is  €20million, according to Marca, and Real are favourites to activate that in January as they look for competition for Keylor Navas.

Earlier this month Arrizabalaga told El Correo: “My only focus right now is with the national team.

“There’s nothing more I can say other than I am a player for Spain and for Athletic Club, nothing else matters to me.”

When pressed further about transfer speculation, the goalkeeper continued: “Of course I know of the rumours, I can see them and hear them, you know they exist but I know my situation better than that.

“They don’t make me nervous and I’m keeping calm.”