Alvaro Morata believes he has returned to Real Madrid as a more mature player. Despite impressing after breaking into the Madrid first team in 2010, Morata was moved on to Juventus in 2014.
The 23-year-old claimed two successive Scuddeti with Juventus and developed a penchant for scoring in big matches, prompting his former club to exercise its buy-back option.
Reports suggested Madrid was likely to sell Morata on at a profit, but coach Zinedine Zidane insisted he was at the Santiago Bernabeu to stay. The striker feels his time in Turin helped him bloom, and he is now willing to give everything for his boyhood club.
"It is a day of great joy for me. I'm back at home. It has been two long years and a long wait to return," said Morata at his presentation on Monday. "I thank those who have trusted me. Sometimes you have to mature. "I have come to give my life, as I have always done."
Morata will have his work cut out if he is to earn a regular starting role, with the 'BBC' frontline of Karim Benzema, Gareth Bale and Cristiano Ronaldo firmly established as Zidane's first-choice trio.
But Morata sees no reason why he cannot contribute and challenge the fearsome triumvirate for a place in the team. "If I thought only in me I would play tennis or chess, this is a team. BBC is from another world, but I can bring work and I would try to score all the goals that I can," he said.
Morata led the line for Spain at Euro 2016, scoring three goals in four appearances, and Madrid president Florentino Perez believes they have secured one of the top strikers.
"We are going to be able to count on one of the best strikers in the world, who we know and who has known the club since childhood," said Perez. "He has become one of the best. He has returned home, earning it with talent and the ability to sacrifice."
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