Former Atletico Madrid midfielder Miliko Pantic says incoming signing Alvaro Morata could've long been an Atleti player.

Pantic worked with Morata when the Chelsea striker was a junior at a new Atletico academy and recommended they sign the player before he was snapped up by Real Madrid.

He recalled to AS: "It is true that we had him at the Technical School. And I say we had him because I did not just have him. I'm not the discoverer of anyone or anything like that.

"Álvaro Morata was one of the first students of the School, he was an intern with me. It is true that through the School he entered Atleti. It would be about 2005, although I am not one of those who have a great memory.

"The coaches that were with me remind me that we were the ones who told the club that Morata should go to Atleti. Morata went after being with us to train in Cotorruelo. And soon he began to take off. But the merit was his and his father's. No one else's."

On the player's move to Atletico this week, Pantic added: "I'm very happy for him. Because I'm sure he has an outstanding account with Atlético, a pending account to succeed in this club. Because the truth is that he was with the lower categories of the club and nobody knows the reasons why he left the Atleti."