Arsenal are reportedly closing in on completing a a €30 million deal for Alvaro Morata, who remains heavily linked with Barcelona.
According to Sport, Arsenal are close to bringing Alvaro Morata to the Emirates in a €30 million deal, with the Gunners keen on adding a new striker in the summer. The north Londoners were interested in the Spaniard in January, with Barcelona also hot on his trail.
Alvaro Morata’s career has always taken surprising turns, and the striker could be on the verge of another big move. He has never had a prolific spell at any of the top clubs, yet always manages to get a prominent role in the national side. Curiously, many big teams have ended up paying huge fees for his services.
Arsenal could be the next such club, with Morata closing in on a €30 million move to the Emirates. The Gunners had been linked with the player in January but could not move further with the idea. However, SPORT are now linking the north Londoners with a transfer again, as Morata is likely to leave Atletico Madrid in the summer.
He is currently on loan at Juventus, who have a purchase option of around €35 million. But the Bianconeri are not considering paying the fee, despite their desire to keep hold of the Spaniard. The Serie A giants could consider signing Morata permanently if Atletico Madrid reduce the asking price substantially.
Morata was recently linked with Barcelona, as Xavi Hernandez considered the Spaniard an alternative to top target Robert Lewandowski. If the Blaugrana fail to find an agreement for the Polish international, they could accelerate the pursuit of the Spanish international.
Barcelona are also pondering a swap deal involving Antoine Griezmann, but that is still considered mere speculation. Morata is now linked with Arsenal, as the Premier League giants continue searching for a new striker.
It is quite surprising that the links with Morata have resurfaced, considering the type of striker Mikel Arteta has been looking for. Morata, 29, is not the young, hungry forward the Arsenal boss wants. A move could have been possible if Arsenal planned to sign two strikers. However, since Eddie Nketiah is on the verge of staying put at the Emirates, the north Londoners may sign just one new centre-forward.
Manchester City’s Gabriel Jesus remains the firm favourite to join Arsenal, who still have some work before bringing in the Brazilian. Arsenal have also been linked with Victor Osimhen. Recent reports indicated that Napoli rejected a mammoth €90 million offer from Arsenal, who could be serious about the Nigerian international in this current window.
Also Read: Arsenal 2021/22 Review: A season of hope and missed opportunity
As for Morata, a move to Barcelona could be likelier than joining Arsenal, although the transfer to Camp Nou also largely hinges on the Catalan club’s inability to sign Robert Lewandowski. With a year left on his deal at Atletico Madrid, a summer departure seems possible.
