Morata returns to Juve on loan from Atletico

Spanish striker Alvaro Morata Tuesday returned to Juventus on loan from Atletico Madrid, the Turin club announced.

The much-travelled Morata, who is 27, played for Juve from 2014-2016, scoring 27 goals in 93 appearances.

He graduated through the youth system at Real Madrid and had two stints at the club either side of his first spell at Juve. 

He also had a spell at Chelsea before joining Atletico, initially on loan.

He has joined Juve on a season-long loan, which will cost 10m euros ($11.7m), the club said.

After Gonzalo Higuain left for Miami last week, Juve's new coach, Andrea Pirlo, needed a solid center-forward.

The club were linked to Barcelona's Luis Suarez and Roma's Edin Dzeko but Morata, who played with Pirlo in his first spell at club, has arrived instead.

Spanish media immediately speculated that Morata's departure could clear the way for Atletico to recruit Suarez.

Morata scored in both legs in the 2015 Champions League semi-finals as Juve beat one of his former clubs, Real, 3-2 on aggregate.

He then scored a second-half equalizer in the final before goals by Suarez and Neymar gave Barca a 3-1 victory.

His last goal for Juve was the winner in the 2016 Copa Italia final against AC Milan, when he came off the bench 18 minutes into extra time and scored two minutes later.