Alvaro Morata has reportedly admitted that he regrets leaving Atlético Madrid for AC Milan during the summer transfer window.
The Spanish striker revealed that he was persuaded to return to Serie A by Paulo Fonseca’s persistent phone calls, which made him feel “loved and valued.” After just six months in Italy, Morata departed the Rossoneri with only five goals in 16 league games, with manager Sérgio Conceição’s arrival in late December playing a major role in his exit.
Morata's move to AC Milan allowed the club to sign Santiago Giménez from Feyenoord. Despite his limited impact at Milan, Morata has since joined Galatasaray on loan in January, where he has found some success.
According to Football Italia, Morata acknowledges that his biggest regret was ignoring Diego Simeone’s faith in him. “I should have never left Atlético, but I wasn’t feeling well, and when you’re not well, you make wrong decisions in every aspect of life,” Morata said in an interview with Cadena Ser.
“Milan’s coach called me every day—I needed to feel loved and valued. I had to decide quickly, and I didn’t realise that Simeone also cared about me and valued me.” This reflective statement underscores Morata's emotional struggle during a turbulent period of his career.
Morata's father and agent advised against the move, which he now regards as a mistake. “When you go through difficult times, everything seems grey, even if there are people around you telling you it’s not,” he stated.
Ultimately, Morata’s time at AC Milan was short-lived. If he could turn back time, he would remain with Atlético Madrid, but now finds happiness in his loan at Galatasaray. Since arriving from Milan in January, Morata has played six matches for Galatasaray, scoring three goals and providing one assist.
The UEFA Euro 2024 winner’s loan deal with the Turkish giants includes a buy option of €8 million, which can be triggered in the next January transfer window.
