Álvaro Morata reveals he was close to joining FC Barcelona

Álvaro Morata just pulled back the curtain on one of football’s more intriguing “what if” transfer stories. The Spanish striker confirmed he came close to signing with FC Barcelona after direct conversations with then-manager Xavi Hernández, a move that would have dramatically altered the trajectory of both player and club.

The revelation came during an appearance on the podcast El Camino de Mario, where Morata described the potential Barcelona switch as “something else.”

What Morata actually said

According to Morata, Xavi Hernández personally reached out to him while he was on loan at Juventus. The conversations took place around the 2022-2023 season, a period when Barcelona was actively trying to rebuild its squad.

Xavi’s pitch was straightforward. He believed Morata’s high-pressing style would be a natural fit for Barcelona’s system.

Morata was receptive. He went so far as to communicate his willingness to leave Juventus to manager Massimiliano Allegri, signaling he was genuinely open to making the switch.

But the deal never materialized. No financial terms were discussed beyond the initial conversations, and the transfer window closed without any formal negotiations taking shape.

Xavi himself had publicly confirmed his interest in Morata back in December 2023. But hearing Morata’s side of it, with the specificity of telling Allegri he wanted out, adds a layer that wasn’t previously known.

The Barcelona context matters

To understand why this near-transfer is significant, you have to remember what Barcelona was dealing with during that period. The club was navigating severe financial constraints that had already forced the departure of Lionel Messi and limited their ability to compete in the transfer market.

Barcelona had been pulling financial levers, selling future revenue streams and TV rights just to register new players. Every signing was a chess move played against La Liga’s salary cap rules.

For Morata, Barcelona represented something different from the clubs he’d already played for. Real Madrid, Chelsea, Atlético Madrid, Juventus. His use of the phrase “something else” suggests he felt that distinction too.

Disclosure: This article was edited by Editorial Team. For more information on how we create and review content, see our Editorial Policy.