Alvaro Morata to delay Chelsea return due to personal reasons

Spain international Alvaro Morata has reportedly been offered some time off the game by Antonio Conte as he is grieving the death of his close friend.

The 25-year-old has missed the Blues' recent outings with a back problem, and he is expected to play no part in the FA Cup fourth round tie versus Newcastle United this afternoon.

According to The Mail, Conte has offered Morata with an extended break of around a week with the Spaniard having lost his close friend in a car crash recently.

As a result, the striker is very much certain to miss the Premier League game against Bournemouth on Wednesday night, which may force Conte to play Michy Batshuayi upfront.

Conte in on the desperate search for a new competitor to either play alongside or replace Morata in the lineup, and they are presently in discussions for AS Roma's Edin Dzeko.

Chelsea are already out of contention for the Premier League and League Cup, and the FA Cup remains the realistic chance of attaining some silverware in what could be Conte's final season at the Bridge.