Alvaro Morata has completed a surprise loan move to second-tier Spanish side Leganes from Italian club Como.
The 33-year-old striker, who captained Spain to victory at the 2024 European Championship, returns to Madrid to spend the season with the Segunda Division club. Leganes confirmed the arrival on social media, with Morata announcing to supporters that he was there.
The club opened the doors to the Butarque stadium last night to present their new star signing to fans.
Leganes said in an official statement that one of the best Spanish forwards of recent decades was arriving at the Ontime Butarque, bringing experience from more than 600 professional matches and over 200 goals.
Family return to Madrid
The veteran forward joins Ruben Albes's squad for one season. The club has moved well in the transfer market to build a team with the objective of returning to the Primera Division.
Morata joins from Como, the Italian side managed by his former international teammate Cesc Fabregas. Como are preparing to make their debut in the Champions League, but Morata was not expected to feature prominently in the team.
His decision to join Leganes was heavily influenced by a desire to live in Madrid with his four children and be close to his family.
The move required careful financial management to comply with strict salary limits imposed by the Spanish league. Como will continue to pay a significant portion of Morata's wages, allowing Leganes to fit the transfer within their financial fair play boundaries.
The reverse Eto'o path
Morata's arrival in the Liga Hypermotion brings a player who has generated nearly 230 million euros in transfer fees throughout his career. This makes him the sixth most expensive player in football history in terms of cumulative transfer spending.
His career path contrasts with that of Samuel Eto'o. The former Cameroon international played at Butarque early in his career before rising to global stardom, whereas Morata arrives in the south of Madrid in the later stages of his career to boost his team's attacking options.
Morata will wear the number 21 shirt for Leganes. It is the same squad number he wore during his time at Real Madrid, where he served as an important substitute under manager Zinedine Zidane before leaving to seek regular starting opportunities.
His extensive club career has included spells at Chelsea, Atletico, Juventus, AC Milan, Galatasaray and Como. He previously played 18 matches in the Segunda Division for Real Madrid Castilla.
