Can Arsenal finally seal a deal for Real Madrid’s Alvaro Morata?

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The Daily Express have reported today that Arsene Wenger is set to renew his interest in Real Madrid forward Alvaro Morata as a result of increasing worries over the future of Alexis Sanchez.

Wenger is known to have admired Morata for a while now, and after being linked with him countless times over the summer it seems like the Arsenal manager is about to make an ‘irresistible offer’ to tempt the Spaniard over to the Emirates.

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With Morata playing second-fiddle to the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo, Gareth Bale and Karim Benzema at Real Madrid, Wenger will promise the 24-year-old first-team football each week if he chooses to move to England.

Spanish newspaper Ok Diario have reported that Real Madrid would prefer Morata to remain at the Bernabeu, but with their transfer ban lifting and new recruits set to join Zinedine Zidane’s side it could see Morata pushed even further down the pecking order.

What would Morata bring to Arsenal?

Morata is a player that certainly knows where the goal is, scoring ten times in 37 matches for Madrid in his first spell before finding the net five times in his twelve competitive matches this season for Los Blancos.

He’s done it on the international scene too, putting in sparkling performances for the Spanish Under-19 and Under-21 sides (24 goals in 26 appearances across both age groups) before replicating this for the national squad, scoring just under an average of a goal every two matches.

The 24-year-old is good in the air as well as with his feet, able to use this tricky footwork to go past defenders with ease whilst it’s his clinical finishing that earns him his high regard across European football.

He can play in a central striking role or out wide, much like Arsenal’s Alexis Sanchez, or he could offer himself as a number ten role in behind Olivier Giroud; his versatility in the attacking third serves him well and makes him a defender’s nightmare, very rarely standing still on a football pitch.

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Perhaps even more significant though, a move for Morata could keep key-players Mesut Ozil and Alexis Sanchez at the club after recent speculation over their respective futures. As much as signing Cohen Bramall, the 20-year-old non-league youngster, is a good signing in the way that it sees Wenger looking towards the future, signing a huge name like Morata is more likely to tempt the likes of Sanchez and Ozil to stay at the Emirates as it increases the possibility of challenging for major trophies in the near future.

It’s been a while since Wenger has made a marquee-signing so to speak, and the addition of the Real Madrid star could really stamp his mark on Arsenal’s title challenge next season.

Is a move to the Emirates likely to happen?

Whenever the transfer window comes around it seems that Arsene Wenger’s side suddenly become linked with almost anyone playing for Europe’s top clubs, but the Frenchman’s admiration for Morata keeps coming up frequently so he genuinely could be set to offer big money on this occasion.

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Real Madrid will hardly be left depleted in resources if Morata does leave, and if the right offer does come in (most likely in the region of £40 million plus) then Zidane could find it difficult to ignore.

Morata’s lack of first-team football could also be a catalyst for a move away, but even if he does express interest in leaving Real Madrid then it’s likely that Arsenal will have competition for the Spanish forward that they would have to outbid.

Verdict

5/10 – If Morata does express a desire to find first-team football away from Real Madrid, then Wenger will have to act fast and not mess around with negotiations before the striker is snapped up by another side. A big signing like Morata could be the difference between the Gunners challenging for the title next year or sticking around the Champions League spots for another year.

Featured Image: All rights reserved by Alfie Chapman.