Alvaro Morata signs for Como (ComoFootball.com)
Como have officially announced the signing of Spain international Alvaro Morata from Milan after an agreement was found to terminate his loan spell with Galatasaray.
Morata joins Como on an initial season-long loan deal with a reported obligation to buy for a fee of €10m.
The 32-year-old had been on loan from Milan to Galatasaray prior to his Como move. The Turkish giants also had an option to buy the Spaniard, but have instead received a fee of around €5m themselves in exchange for terminating their loan agreement.
Instead, he will team up with his former Chelsea and Spain national team colleague Cesc Fabregas, who is currently in charge at the Stadio Sinigaglia.
Como will be the third Serie A club on Morata’s CV, following previous spells with Juventus and Milan.
He had only joined Milan last summer from Atletico Madrid for a fee of €13m, but failed to live up to expectations, and by January, he had been shown the exit door and found himself in Istanbul on loan with Galatasaray.
What Morata said about Galatasaray: ‘Commitments were not honoured’
Morata has already bid farewell to the Galatasaray supporters with a long message posted to his Instagram profile, also criticising the club for not honouring certain commitments, which left the striker in a position where he was willing to forgo part of his salary in order to earn a move away.
“Dear Gala fans and the people of Turkey,” Morata’s statement began.
“I want to sincerely thank you for the affection, warmth, and support you have shown me. You made me feel welcome from the very first day, and your support has been among the most extraordinary I have ever experienced in my career.
“Unfortunately, I cannot say the same about my experience with the club. There were moments when the given word and the respect for fundamental values were not upheld.
“Until the very end, the commitments made were not honored, to the point where I was left with no choice but to forgo part of my salary and other contractual rights I had already earned through my work (the figure published is not accurate).
“For me, in life and in work, there are principles that should never be broken, such as respect for each person’s rights. Failing to recognize and compensate what has been earned is, to me, unacceptable and contrary to the values of fairness and professionalism I believe in.
“I know these matters are often not spoken about openly, but I believe it is right to give the fans the real explanation of what happened. You and the city of Istanbul will always remain in my heart, and I wish you the very best, today and in the future.
“A special thank you also goes to the coach and his fantastic staff — I am certain you will continue writing the history of Galatasaray. My heartfelt thanks to all my teammates for the moments we shared, and to all the people working at the training facilities.
“With affection, Álvaro.”
