Dean Saunders has branded Chelsea striker Alvaro Morata ‘a costly mistake’ and has likened the Spaniard to Blues flop Andriy Shevchenko.
Morata has failed to live up to his £60million price tag since joining from Real Madrid in the summer of 2017 – scoring 24 goals in 73 appearances.
Chelsea are said to have run out of patience with the frontman and plan to sell him before the end of the January transfer window, with Atletico Madrid a possible destination.
Widespread reports have even claimed they have already secured a replacement in Gonzalo Higuain.
Morata’s exit would see him join a long list of big-money flops, and talkSPORT host Saunders has likened him to one of the club’s most famous transfer failures of all time.
Speaking on Thursday’s Alan Brazil Sports Breakfast, the former Liverpool striker said: “Morata was a costly mistake – it’s just like Shevchenko!
“When Chelsea signed Shevchenko, every other club in the world would have had him, but he didn’t do it for some reason. He couldn’t settle.
“Morata has just not produced, he doesn’t look up to it and they’re going to have to sell him, probably for half price.”
Ukrainian superstar Shevchenko arrived to great fanfare in a £30m deal from AC Milan in 2006, but it was soon clear that they had signed a player past his best.
He managed just nine goals in 48 Premier League games for Chelsea, before being released for free.
Chelsea hope Higuain – who starred for manager Maurizio Sarri’s Napoli – can be the solution they’re looking for up front.
The Argentine is said to be ready to cut his loan at AC Milan short to sign for the Blues, and Saunders believes the Argentine has help transform Chelsea’s front-three into a lethal attacking force.
“What a signing that is for Chelsea,” he added.
“That’s exactly what Chelsea need, a player of that ilk. He’s a class act, a great finisher and gets goals everywhere he’s been – he’s scored 315 goals in 600 games.
“Now when you look at Chelsea’s front line, Eden Hazard, Higuain and Pedro – that can rip any back four to shreds.”
