Real Madrid striker, Alvaro Morata, has admitted he will play for Chelsea coach Antonio Conte “sooner or later”.
The Spain international was linked with a move to the Premier League last summer and told The Guardian that he spoke directly to Conte and Tottenham Hotspur manager, Mauricio Pochettino.
However, Morata stayed at the Santiago Bernabeu, where he has started only 10 La Liga matches.
“Various Premier League coaches called to tell me to play for them.
“I said I’d like to, that if I had to leave I would almost certainly go to London, but that I didn’t know what Madrid would do.
“I spoke directly to Mauricio Pochettino and Antonio Conte, although the norm is that clubs call my dad or my agent. Madrid said they didn’t want to sell, so here I am.
“I’m very happy at Madrid and they support me. But if an offer like that came again and they want to sell, I shouldn’t close doors. I loved Italy but if one day I have to leave, I’m sure it will be to the Premier League,” Morata said.
Conte signed Morata for Juventus in 2014, before the Italian coach left to take over the Italy national team. And the player remains grateful to the 47-year-old for having confidence in him.
He said: “Conte is the manager who most bet on me, without even ever having had me in his team.
“I’m very conscious of that — he bet on me for Juventus but left before I arrived; then he wanted me at Chelsea come what may.
“I feel indebted to him because he’s the coach that most trusted in me, most wanted me, who made me feel I could perform at the highest level.
“Yet I’ve never had the fortune to actually work with him. I’m sure sooner or later I will.”
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