Arsenal: Spaniard linked again; Sanchez sidelined in FA Cup; midfielder wants to become club legend

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Alvaro Morata could be in line for a move and Arsenal are the frontrunners for his signature, according to Diario Gol. His attitude has been criticised at Real Madrid and Florentino Perez has become angry at the actions of the striker, which has opened the door to a move away from the Bernabeu. Arsenal have been long-term admirers of the Spanish international and the report states that he has some offers from the Premier League, but the Gunners’ interest is the strongest.

This is a deal that won’t happen until the summer, as Arsene Wenger has already stated that the club are unlikely to do anything major in the market this month. Although Morata has been linked with Arsenal several times before, a possible move looks a lot more likely now as it is clear the striker doesn’t have a long-term future at Real Madrid. He isn’t a regular in the first team and he isn’t the type of character that will be happy to sit on the sidelines in a supporting role. Despite not being too successful since his return to the Spanish capital, Morata is a quality striker and one that would represent an upgrade on Olivier Giroud. If Arsenal can sign Morata in the summer, it would be a great move from the club. Having said this, it is important to mention that Diario Gol are not exactly the most reliable outlet in Spain.

In other news, Arsene Wenger is ready to leave Alexis Sanchez out of the team to face Southampton in the FA Cup, which could anger the Chilean as he is desperate to play in every game. The Mirror report that Wenger is expected to rotate on Saturday, with Theo Walcott and Danny Welbeck possible starters on the South Coast. Mesut Ozil could also be rested for the match, with Arsenal’s priorities being the Premier League and Champions League.

It could prove to be a problem with Sanchez, as he was unhappy to be taken off against Swansea City, while he also reacted badly at being left out of cup squads earlier in the season. However, it would be a wise move from Wenger as he needs to protect his best players. If either Ozil or Sanchez played on Saturday and suffered serious injuries, it could have a disastrous impact on the club’s season and the French head coach is merely protecting against that. Wenger will also believe that he has enough in the squad to progress without his two key men.

Finally, the Mail feature an interview with Mohamed Elneny and the midfielder has spoken about his desire to become an Arsenal legend. The Egyptian has lofty ambitions, especially considering he has yet to secure a regular starting berth in the Arsenal midfield. He has been at Arsenal for over a year now and he has shown flashes of his quality, but not often enough. Elneny is currently at the African Cup of Nations and Arsenal have missed him, with the club only having two available centre midfielders for the weekend after Granit Xhaka’s suspension.

‘I want to be a legend at this club, like Thierry Henry. I mean, obviously not exactly like him. I have my own personality, my own character. I want to be different to anyone that’s gone before.

‘But since I got here, I’ve always had that in mind. I wanted to become an Arsenal legend.’

This is a massive claim and one that he is never likely to fulfill, but it is encouraging for a player to have belief in their own ability. Thierry Henry was a spectacular footballer and nobody has come close to him at Arsenal since. Even Alexis Sanchez has a long way to go before he can be spoken about in the same breath as Henry. That said, Elneny has a lot more to give in an Arsenal shirt and could have a big role to play when he returns from international duty.