Alvaro Morata is Jose Mourinho's one-time striking prodigy and unfinished project - at Manchester United they could prove to be a complete package

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Jose Mourinho doesn't like being told he is incapable of nurturing youth. At Real Madrid he always felt he had the perfect answer to the accusation: Alvaro Morata.

If Manchester United complete the signing of the Spain centre forward, it will reunite their manager with his unfinished project from those three years at the Santiago Bernabeu.

In one particular feisty press conference after Morata had scored the winner and Spanish journalists had questioned why he was not playing more Mourinho said: 'The one who gave him his debut? That was me.

Alvaro Morata, Jose Rodriguez and Jose Mourinho are pictured at Real Madrid in 2012

Morata has gone on to win the Champions League with Real and is now a Mourinho target

The striker is pictured with long-time girlfriend Alice Campello, who he marries this summer

'The one who made sure he was part of the pre-season tour three years running? That was me. The one that made sure he did not leave the club? That was me. The one who told the club they should give him a first-team contract? That was also me.'

He also picked him in a Clasico at the Bernabeu in 2013, playing him on the left of the three players behind lone striker Karim Benzema. He set-up Madrid's first goal and played the full 90 minutes.

Morata was just 20 at the time and had Mourinho not left Real Madrid at the end of the season his education under the Portuguese coach might have continued.

That summer Real Madrid brought Gareth Bale from Tottenham and it was a measure of how Morata was impressing everyone that Spurs insisted on his inclusion in the deal.

It spoke even greater volumes for him when that insistence was met with resistance.

Tottenham were so keen because Franco Baldini was overseeing the rebuilding post-Bale and had followed Morata as far back as 2011 when he finished top tournament scorer with six goals in the Under 19 European Championship.

He also won the Golden Boot in 2013 as Spain won the U21s European Championship in Israel.

Morata collected a host of awards in youth football before breaking through at Real

Morata and long-time team-mate and friend Lucas Vazquez celebrate a goal this season

In the early days the long stride, the dark mane, the ability to hold the ball up facing his team, and to finish so well with his head, provoked comparisons with Fernando Morientes.

Fellow Real Madrid youth-team graduate Lucas Vazquez can vouch for those qualities. He told Sportsmail this season: 'I was playing at centre forward in the youth team when he [Morata] joined the club and they said to me: "Right you get out on the wing!"

'I remember my first training sessions with him. We were doing crossing and heading exercises and it was incredible the way he finished with his head. Much like the way you see him do it now. He made my crosses look good.'

Vazquez and Morata have remained close friends at the club and he will be at his wedding this summer as he ties the knot with long-time girlfriend Alice Campello in Venice.

Mourinho was bullish in speaking of his impact on Morata's early career at Real

Morata raises the European Cup above his head alongside Gareth Bale in Cardiff on Saturday

He played a small part in the final but he still enjoyed the celebrations walking away from the National Stadium of Wales with various keepsakes and mementos including the electronic substitute board set to 12 for the 12th European Cup the team had just won.

He likes where he is but admitted after the final: 'Whether I stay is not up to me. Players always like to play more but how can I complain when we have won the Champions League and La Liga?'

Because of that Champions League success Real Madrid will face Manchester United in the European Super Cup. Morata could be playing for the Europa League holders and Mourinho, and not Zidane's European Champions.

Nothing is settled for Morata at the minute, after he admitted he would not decide his future

Nothing is settled yet. It was Antonio Conte who signed Morata for Juventus in 2013 just before leaving the club. Chelsea cannot be ruled out of the equation — they tried to sign him last summer when it seemed Real Madrid had only re-signed him from Juventus so they could sell him again.

Chelsea bid £60million and Conte spoke personally with the player, making a big impression on someone who he wanted to work with at Juve in 2014 only to leave for the Italy job before it was possible.

Either way there will be no language barrier because Morata speaks perfect English.

And if it's Conte it will be unfinished business from their near miss in Turin. If itis Mourinho it will be unfinished business too. The young striker and the coach who sees him as proof that he does know how to bring through young talent.

Antonio Conte wanted Morata at Juventus and has come in to try to sign him while at Chelsea