Alvaro Morata: If it was up to me, I would stay at Juventus forever

Juventus striker Alvaro Morata has lifted the lid on his January talks with coach Max Allegri after a winter move to Barcelona failed to come off.

Barça wanted to sign Morata, who was open to moving to Camp Nou, but a deal could not be agreed and instead they signed Arsenal's Pierre-Emerick Aubameyand.

“It’s not important,” said Morata when asked about Barca’s interest ahead of Tuesday's Champions League game against Villarreal.

“We talked with the coach during the transfer window, about his ideas, and he told me the arrival of Dusan [Vlahovic] would help me and that has been the case. I’m happy to be here. If it depended on me, I would always stay here.

“I have always felt [Allegri's] confidence, ever since we started working together. He is the first to ask me things, but he knows what I am and what I am not. He told me that I had to stay and that he trusted me. Now I have to give everything to return his trust.” 

Morata is on loan at Juve from Atletico. The Italian club have a deal to make the move permanent in the summer but reports in Italy suggest they won't take up the option.