Revealed: Why Alvaro Morata snubbed Manchester United for Chelsea

Manchester United and Alvaro Morata were becoming the transfer saga of the summer before Jose Mourinho decided to switch paths and sign Romelu Lukaku from Everton. With Chelsea ensuring Morata would end up playing in the English Premier League by agreeing a fee with Real Madrid on Wednesday, the big question was why the United-Morata transfer didn't happen.

According to Mourinho, it was the fact that Real Madrid would not budge from their outrageous price for Morata, something they brought down when Chelsea came calling.

Morata, though, had a different point of view.

Insisting Chelsea was always his first choice, the 24-year-old striker said it was Antonio Conte's trust in him that proved to be the difference.

"I'm going to the team managed by the coach who has placed the most faith in me, and that's great for me," Morata told AS.

"I am very happy, God willing, (Thursday) I will be at Chelsea, a club that has always wanted me."

Of course, those are the things that players always say after a club have signed them, but it does look like Morata is a good fit for Chelsea, and a solid replacement for the departing Diego Costa, with the player claiming he is ready for the new challenge.

"I'm not disappointed about anything, I've won four titles here [with Real Madrid], but now I only think of putting on the Chelsea shirt," Morata told Marca.

"I want to grow up, if I didn't I wouldn't have left. I'd like to thank (Real manager Zinedine) Zidane and wish him luck for the upcoming season."

Mourinho, whose team are training alongside Morata and Real Madrid in LA, was asked about the move, with the initial fee of £58 million considerably less than what Manchester United were asked to pay.

"I think Chelsea was obvious they were going to sign a striker especially after the situation with the manager [Conte] and Diego [Costa] was clear they were going to sign a striker," Mourinho said of his former club getting one of his initial targets.

"They did it with Alvaro and Alvaro is a very good player for them."

Might there be any regrets after Manchester United had to cough up £75 million for Lukaku, while the Blues have paid a lot less for Morata?

"We needed a striker, we needed even with Zlatan [Ibrahimovic] in his best condition, one to give cover, to give options, him and Marcus [Rashford] was not enough, especially after Zlatan's injury.

"We got a big player [in Lukaku]. A player I can't compare with what he was a few years ago because he worked with me a few months four or five years ago. His development was very, very good.

"We think we have a player that is now a top player in Europe, has to prove it at the highest level, there's always that point, he now has to do it for Manchester United, he has to do it in Champions League matches. But I think he has amazing qualities."