The loanee is desperate not to return to west London after not enjoying his time leading the line during his short time at the club.

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Alvaro Morata has been assured that Diego Simeone and Atletico Madrid want to keep hold of him amid concerns the striker might be forced to return to Chelsea this summer.

The Blues are discussing a deal to offload their star with the La Liga runners-up after loaning their failed £58 million ($74m) signing in January as he pushed to leave the club.

Chelsea can recall Morata, which gives them leverage in talks; but Atletico have a non-obligatory purchase option at £48.5m after the Spanish club already paid £4.4m in loan fees.

Atleti may hope that Chelsea allows them to continue their 18-month loan with leveraging their ability to recall, as Morata is desperate to avoid a return to Chelsea. He revealed earlier in the month that he wants the move to become permanent as soon as possible.

“I want to stay at Atletico but, contractually, Chelsea can call me back,” Morata told Goal in early June. “We will see what happens in the negotiations between them, but the two clubs already know what I want.

“I only ask, please, as I said to Atletico, do everything possible to do it as soon as possible. Because I just want to be here.”

Atleti will have money to sign both Benfica‘s £112m prospect Joao Felix and Morata after selling the likes of Antoine Griezmann in a deal involving Barcelonaat around £107m and Rodri for £63m to Manchester City.

At Chelsea, meanwhile, Frank Lampard is in talks with the Blues board over a £4m move away from Derby County to the club where he established legendary status.

His backroom staff is being picked during the talks as pre-season is set to begin on Wednesday for the group of Chelsea players who didn’t make any end of season international appearances.

After the £88m sale of Eden Hazard to Real Madrid and with the transfer ban hanging over the club, Lampard will have to look to his loanees to strengthen his side’s goalscoring potential.

Michy Batshuayi, who spent the second half of the season at Crystal Palace, and Aston VIlla’s Tammy Abraham are front runners to return as a deal to turn Mateo Kovacic’s loan from Real Madrid into a £40.3m deal will be imminently announced.

Source – Goal.com