Juventus striker Morata rebuffs Real Madrid return rumors

Juventus striker Morata rebuffs Real Madrid return rumors

Published Mar. 25, 2015 7:33 a.m. ET

Alvaro Morata has no intention of leaving Juventus despite reports linking the Spain international with former club Real Madrid.

Real sold the 22-year-old striker to the Turin giants last summer for 22million euros but have the option to buy him back for a set fee of 30million euros at the end of the season.

"It would be a lack of respect for my club, my coach and my team-mates to think of that eventuality," Morata told Spanish radio station Onda Cero.

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"I am so happy and comfortable (in Turin) that I cannot think about Madrid or any other club."

Morata has no regrets about leaving his hometown club.

"I still don't understand why at Madrid I went from playing very well to being left in the stands," he said. "I wasn't asking for a starting place but to be treated a different way.

"I hardly had any rapport with (Real Madrid coach Carlo) Ancelotti.

"(Juve coach Massimiliano) Allegri, for the good and the bad, is looking out for me."

Morata, a target of Arsenal last summer, has enjoyed an impressive debut season in Serie A.

He has scored seven goals and set up four more in 22 league appearances to help Juve climb 14 points clear at the top of the standings.

His performances have not gone unnoticed, with Spain coach Vicente del Bosque having called up Morata to the senior team.

Morata made his Spain debut last November and has been included in La Roja's latest squad for Friday's Euro 2016 qualifier at home to Ukraine and a friendly away to Holland four days later.

"I am valued more now that I'm abroad," Morata said. "You mature a lot when you leave home.

"When I left Madrid one of my aims was to join the national team and many thought I was crazy to think that. But here I am. For me to be here is incredible.

"Before I celebrated the achievements of La Roja and now I'm a part of it.

"I dream of scoring my first goal although it's not an obsession."

With Chelsea forward Diego Costa out injured, Morata, who was part of the squad that won the European Under-21 Championship in 2013, could earn his first start for Spain against Ukraine on Friday.

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