Alvaro Morata move to Chelsea close after Real Madrid hitman lands in London with wife and agent to seal £65m club-record deal
Spanish international yesterday said emotional goodbyes to Zinedine Zidane and Los Blancos team-mates in the US
ALVARO MORATA has landed in London ahead of sealing his £65million switch to Chelsea.
The Real Madrid hitman arrived at Heathrow with his agent and wife Alice Campello before heading off for a medical.
Morata, 24, will now sign a five-year deal worth £160,000 a week.
The Spanish international said his goodbyes to team-mates yesterday and was given a round of applause as he left training on Real's US tour.
The club-record deal will smash the £50m Blues paid to sign Fernando Torres in 2011 - with Morata admitting he has asked the Atletico hitman for tips on succeeding at Stamford Bridge.
And it comes as a second boost of the week for Blues fans, after Antonio Conte signed a fresh two-year deal on improved terms.
Despite not yet having clinched his own move, Morata has already hailed the Italian as the key factor in his decision to join Blues.
He told : “Chelsea is the best club. Antonio Conte is one of the best coaches in the world and I am so happy to work with him."
Asked how close he was to joining Manchester United, Morata added: “I don’t know. The most important thing is I am here and will play for Chelsea.
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"It is one of the best leagues in the world and I am so happy to be here.
"I spoke with (Cesar) Azpilicueta and he told me everything is OK here."
Morata spent the summer with a move to Manchester United hanging over him.
But he had plenty to take his mind off it with his wedding at a glitzy bash in Venice last month.
Negotiations then dragged on with United - with Mourinho since claimed Real were demanding £80m.
Morata seemed to have few concerns, heading off for a honeymoon to a £7,000-a-night resort in the Seychelles.
In a separate interview, he had earlier said he was leaving Los Blancos so that he could "grow up" with Blues.
He said: “I’m going to the team managed by the coach who has placed the most faith in me, and that’s great for me.
“I’m not disappointed about anything, I’ve won four titles here (Madrid), but now I only think of putting on the Chelsea shirt.
“I want to grow up, if I didn’t I wouldn’t have left. I’d like to thank (Zinedine) Zidane and wish him luck for the upcoming season.
“Thanks to all the Madridistas who supported me. I will always wish Madrid the best.”
Morata netted 20 times after returning to Real at the start of last season, winning La Liga, the Champions League, the Uefa Super Cup and the Fifa Club World Cup.
He fired in 27 times in 93 games in two seasons with Juventus, bagging two Serie A titles and two Coppa Italia wins before Real activated his buy-back clause.
His signing ends a frustrating summer for Conte, who is set to have spent a combined £137m on Antonio Rudiger, Tiemoue Bakayoko and Morata.