CD Leganés secured one of the most surprising transfers of the summer transfer window by signing veteran Spanish striker Álvaro Morata on a season-long loan from Italian club Como, according to official club announcements.
The 33-year-old forward, who captained the Spanish national team to victory at the 2024 European Championship, was officially presented to fans at the Ontime Butarque stadium. According to the club’s official statement, the arrival of the Madrid-born striker brings a player with more than 600 professional matches and over 200 career goals to the southern outskirts of Madrid as the team targets promotion back to the top flight under manager Rubén Albés.
Contract Terms and Financial Structure
Morata joins Leganés on a loan agreement for the current campaign, with an option to make the transfer permanent at the end of the season, as confirmed by both Leganés and Como. While financial regulations regarding league salary caps presented initial hurdles, the deal materialized because Como agreed to continue covering a significant portion of the player’s wages, enabling Leganés to comply with financial fair play requirements.
The Italian club, managed by Cesc Fàbregas, formally announced the departure after Morata spent the previous season in Lombardy following his arrival from AC Milan in August 2025. Italian club communications confirmed the structure of the temporary transfer with a purchase option following a season in which the forward experienced limited playing time.
Career Path and Return to Spanish Football
Morata returns to Spanish football following stints abroad with Chelsea, Juventus, AC Milan, Galatasaray, and Como. The forward began his youth career in the academies of Atlético de Madrid and Getafe before moving to Real Madrid, where he debuted professionally in 2010 and joined the senior squad in 2013.
Over a decorated career spanning multiple European leagues, Morata has accumulated 20 titles. His resume features two UEFA Champions League trophies (2013-14 and 2016-17), two La Liga titles (2011-12 and 2016-17), two Copa del Rey trophies (2010-11 and 2013-14), and a FIFA Club World Cup (2017) with Real Madrid, alongside two Serie A Scudetti secured during his time with Juventus. With the national team, he lifted the 2024 European Championship trophy as captain and won the UEFA Nations League in 2023.
Upon returning to the Madrid region to be close to his family, Morata chose to wear the number 21 shirt—the same squad number he wore during his earlier years at Real Madrid. He immediately joined training sessions under Rubén Albés ahead of Leganés’ upcoming fixtures in the Segunda División.
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