According to Spanish outlet Marca, contrary to what British media have claimed about Manchester United securing Romelu Lukaku, no official contract has been signed yet. The door for Álvaro Morata to join Old Trafford remains open. Interestingly, while Chelsea initially pursued Lukaku, they have now shifted focus to Morata. “We’ll keep pushing forward — there’s no other way,” someone close to Morata stated.
If the transfer isn’t finalized by next Monday, Morata is expected to return to Real Madrid’s squad. Zidane is reportedly open to welcoming him back. Morata knows that joining Manchester United would be the ideal move for his career, but for now, all he can do is wait and see how things unfold. He has maintained regular communication with José Mourinho, who has made every effort to bring him to Manchester. Still, the final call lies with the leadership of both clubs.
Marca noted that while Morata remains professional and committed to Real Madrid, he is growing frustrated. His desire to move to United stems from a wish to play a more central role. Despite his dissatisfaction, he hasn’t given up on the move. Meanwhile, Real Madrid is holding firm. Whether it’s Morata or James Rodríguez, the club has no intention of compromising. Zidane would be content to keep either player, and any team wanting to sign them must meet Madrid’s demands.
The negotiations between Real Madrid and Manchester United reportedly started with Madrid demanding €100 million for Morata. It was Morata himself who requested the club begin talks with United. However, Madrid doesn’t view him as an essential sale and thus remains reluctant to make major concessions.
Eventually, Real Madrid agreed to lower the price slightly, offering €80 million guaranteed plus an additional €10 million in performance-based bonuses. Manchester United was willing to accept the €80 million base fee but rejected the €10 million in add-ons. Marca revealed that by the final stage of the negotiations, only a €5 million gap remained between the two sides, but tensions suddenly escalated.
The standoff intensified when Manchester United imposed a deadline, insisting that Real Madrid finalize their decision by Thursday morning. Madrid, however, refused to be rushed by what they saw as an ultimatum. As a result, United shifted focus to Plan B — signing Lukaku. Ironically, Mourinho had previously rejected Lukaku during his time at Chelsea, indicating the Belgian was merely a fallback option.
This standoff left both clubs frustrated, and for fans eager to watch Morata under Mourinho at United, it’s a waiting game. Meanwhile, the buzz around Live Cricket BPL continues to draw massive attention from sports enthusiasts, who are also keeping an eye on transfer sagas like this one. As transfer drama unfolds, so does the excitement in Live Cricket BPL, proving once again that summer in sports is never dull.