Signing striker Alvaro Morata would not necessarily be the ideal solution in attack for Inter Milan.
This is the contention in today’s print edition of Milan-based newspaper Gazzetta dello Sport, via FCInter1908, who suggest that the Nerazzurri would still need a pure goalscorer if they decide to sign the Spaniard from Atletico Madrid.
Until a few days ago, it had looked as though Inter would do everything to bring back Romelu Lukaku next season.
The plan for the Belgian looked to be an obvious one.
If Lukaku were to have signed and stayed fit for the entire season, then he would have been the Nerazzurri’s most natural goalscorer.
Even off the back of a return season that had been very hit-or-miss, Lukaku does still look like a player with a natural eye for goal when in form.
By contrast, Lautaro Martinez is not quite a pure Number Nine. It’s true that the Argentine has increased his goal tally season on season.
However, that has had more to do with Martinez starting match in and match out. The 25-year-old has been at the heart of Inter’s attack, and so has often been the player on the end of chances, which this Inter create no shortage of.
But unlike Lukaku, Martinez is not a striker who thrives playing off the last line. Moreover, the Argentine has had some worrying goal droughts in both of the past two seasons.
Therefore, the plan seemed obvious – make Lukaku the primary goalscorer. Then, Martinez, Marcus Thuram, and either Joquin Correa or a replacement could fill in the rest of the goals.
Alvaro Morata Not Necessarily A Natural Goalscorer
The problem with signing Morata as an alternative to Lukaku is that the Spaniard profiles differently to the Belgian.
If anything, the Atletico striker is closer in style to Martinez.
Like the Argentine, Morata possesses the technical ability, workrate, and intelligence to link up with another striker well. And also like Martinez, it is not as though the Spaniard is without an eye for goal.
But, also like Martinez, Morata is not quite a striker who has a natural rhythm in front of goal. His best role is to link up with another striker, elevate his strike partner’s game, and then score when he finds the opportunity.
If Inter’s plan to go after the Serie A title was to try and bring back Lukaku’s goal haul and add it to Martinez’s more-prolific-than-ever scoring ability, Morata is not really likely to be the same kind of signing.
And Thuram, for all his talents, is not quite the “natural” Number Nine either.
The Frenchman has refined his eye for goal in recent seasons. But the fact remains that Thuram was converted to striker from more of a wide attacking role.
In the view of the Gazzetta, if Inter do sign Morata, then they must sell Correa and replace him with an out-and-out striker.
The Argentine is the least natural goalscorer of the lot. But if Inter could sign a true goalscorer in his place, then they could well find the right balance, the Gazzetta suggests.
