According to Spanish newspaper Marca, a €50 m offer by Juventus has been rejected by Atletico Madrid for Alvaro Morata.
It’s said at the behest of new coach Andrea Pirlo the bid was made, who played in the 2014-15 season alongside the striker in Turin.
There have been growing rumors in Madrid that Morata has been asking coach Diego Simeone to let him leave this summer as he is is unhappy.
Atleti has recently bought the forward from Chelsea for a total of €63 m and does not want to sell him.
It was a €7 m loan in January 2019 with an obligation to buy in July 2020 for an additional € 56 m.
Marca says that his contract has a release clause worth € 150 m and Atletico Madrid has told Juventus to trigger that or considerably increase their bid.
Juve is searching for a center-forward, although Luis Suarez is having trouble securing an exit from Barcelona, and the first choice Edin Dzeko is increasingly likely to stay in Roma.
Suarez needs the issuance of an Italian passport because Schalke’s Weston McKennie has already taken up a non-EU spot in the Juventus squad.
Suarez’s wife has Italian roots, so the documents can be accessed even though the timing remains to be seen.
