Sunday 29 July 2018 10:41, UK
Maurizio Sarri has indicated Alvaro Morata has a future at Chelsea after an improved display against Inter Milan on Saturday.
The Spanish striker has been the subject of transfer speculation this summer, but played 65 minutes in a penalty-shootout victory in the International Champions Cup in Nice on Saturday.
Sarri had previously been unimpressed with Morata in pre-season, but praised him on Saturday evening while still calling for improvement from a player who scored 11 Premier League goals last season.
"I'm still waiting for the best Morata," Sarri said.
"In the first match [against Perth Glory] Morata did not play very well, in Australia.
"But tonight, especially in the first 30 minutes, he improved a lot. I am satisfied and I am very confident in him for the future."
Sarri was also full of praise for new signing Jorginho, who scored Chelsea's first penalty in a shootout which the Blues won 5-4.
The Italian midfielder, who worked with Sarri at his former club Napoli, played for 90 minutes which finished 1-1 after Pedro put the Blues ahead in the first half, before Roberto Gagliardini equalised for Inter.
Report: Chelsea 1-1 Inter (Chelsea win 5-4 on penalties)
"For Jorginho, this is a normal match," Sarri told the club's website. "He has technical ability but Jorginho also has a great mental speed, too. So for this way of football, I think Jorginho is a wonderful player.
"All over the pitch, though, we move the ball very quickly and we moved it well tonight, but not at the right speed.
"You have to move the ball at a great speed on the floor. Otherwise, we risk to play for 90 minutes with 75 per cent ball possession but without scoring. That's what we need to improve on."
The Chelsea head coach insisted he was satisfied with his team's performance.
He added: "So far I am satisfied. I am of course waiting for the other players from the World Cup to return, but the players gave me total availability.
"I am satisfied and I saw in the match some things that we have tried in the training sessions. So far, so good!"
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