Chelsea new boy Alvaro Morata looks to have replaced Diego Costa already, but can the striker do the same for Spain and oust the main man?

  • Alvaro Morata has slotted seamlessly into the Chelsea team since his arrival 
  • The big striker was naturally compared to his departing colleague Diego Costa 
  • Morata is playing for a manager who trusts him and is now flourishing
  • The youngster has his eyes on becoming Spain's main man, at Costa's expense 

'He scored and he threatened every time he touched the ball,' said Marca. 'Rapidisimo' was the word used over and again by Diario AS… no need for a translation there. 

Spain saluted the Chelsea number nine who destroyed Atletico Madrid on Thursday and asked the question: He has replaced Diego Costa in London, can he replace him for Spain at the World Cup in Russia next year?

Spain coach Julen Lopetegui is at lot more open to scouting beyond Spanish borders than his predecessor Vicente del Bosque who originally 'signed' Costa before the Brazil World Cup. He will already have seen plenty of the former Real Madrid number nine and like the rest of Spanish football he will have noticed a coming of age. 

Alvaro Morata has proved an instant hit at Chelsea and is filling the boots of Diego Costa

Alvaro Morata has proved an instant hit at Chelsea and is filling the boots of Diego Costa

The former Chelsea man watched on as his new club were defeated by his previous employers

The former Chelsea man watched on as his new club were defeated by his previous employers

Morata is finally playing for a coach who believes in him. He finally has the security of a long contract without the Real Madrid buy-back clause that was always hanging over him at Juventus. And he is responding.


He had played against Atletico Madrid six times before last night and never scored against them. But things are changing for the forward who spent too long being a supersub or an afterthought or a makeweight in a transfer deal and is now determined to make up for lost time.

Even Atletico Madrid supporters would probably pick Morata ahead of Costa in an hypothetical Spain XI to start next summer's tournament. They have been thrilled by Costa's return and the plaque outside the ground in his honour has been photographed more in the last week than any of the 100 or so dotted around the new Metropolitano Stadium.

The dressing room is delighted too. Midfielder Saul Niguez told Sportsmail this week in an interview: 'He transmits a positive energy around the place and on the pitch he gives nothing up. There's a pass played and you see it as a lost cause but suddenly he appears and he's fighting for it.' Felipe Luis called him 'one of the top five in the world'.

Costa and Morata are international colleagues, but perhaps only one will go to the World Cup

Costa and Morata are international colleagues, but perhaps only one will go to the World Cup

Costa's plaque outside Atletico's new stadium has been heavily visited since his return

Costa's plaque outside Atletico's new stadium has been heavily visited since his return

But even they might take the 24-year-old over Costa who will be 29 next month.

Morata started out at Atletico Madrid. He went to the club's soccer school and Manolo Brinas, who discovered Fernando Torres, was one of those who insisted he should be kept. But he drifted into the arms of Real Madrid and although he was one of the strikers Diego Simeone tried to sign to replace Costa after he moved to Chelsea in 2014 it proved impossible.

Theirs and Real Madrid's loss has been Chelsea's gain. Madrid supporters are beginning to question the wisdom of giving 29-year-old Karim Benzema a new four-year contract while allowing Morata to leave albeit for a huge fee last summer.

Asked about the prospect of competing with Costa for the Spain centre-forward's job, Morata said last night: 'If he comes back, I will be delighted. We will have a lot of laughs.' It is true that there is an 'if'. Lopetegui will not be picking him in October because he is still nowhere near match fitness and if Spain have reached Russia without him the temptation will be not to go back to him in 2018.

Costa's bravery, he's persistence, he's ability to bully several defenders at once and devour open spaces if teams are daft enough to defend high against him will probably make him a huge hit at the Metropolitano if he gets full fitness back. But Morata offers more.

Costa will wear Atletico colours again from January and will look to re-enter the national set up

Costa will wear Atletico colours again from January and will look to re-enter the national set up

Should Morata continue his blistering Chelsea form he will undoubtedly be Spain's No 1 striker

Should Morata continue his blistering Chelsea form he will undoubtedly be Spain's No 1 striker

In Antonio Conte Morata finally has a manager who trusts him and relies on his abilities

In Antonio Conte Morata finally has a manager who trusts him and relies on his abilities

He's better in the air, he's younger, and his ability to, as the Spanish say 'associate' with the midfielders is also better. Atletico Madrid like to suck teams in and hit them on the break but Spain prefer to play in the other team's half. They favour possession football over killer counter-attacks and so teams sit deeper against them. With less space they need intelligence of movement, finishing, a perfect touch in their centre-forward.

Spain's boss Lopetegui has been represented by Jorge Mendes in the past and it is Mendes who has guided Costa's fairytale career from Lagarto to London but even that connection might be enough to hold off the inevitable changing of the guard.

Spain revived the false-nine system against Italy at the start of this month and it paid off for them. But they still need a centre-forward option. They will play with a real number nine in most games. And right now no one looks more like a real number nine than Morata.