BREAKING: Alvaro Morata 'very close' to £25m Arsenal transfer at second attempt

Arsenal are ready to make an approach to Alvaro Morata – and there is a growing belief they can land the striker.

Mikel Arteta is hunting for at least one new striker this summer. He is likely to lose Alexandre Lacazette as a free agent, though the Gunners are now hopeful of tying down Eddie Nketiah.

However, bringing in a new face has not been an easy task for the Gunners. And their Champions League miss, means technical director Edu is having to work extra hard.

Indeed, the likes of Victor Osimhen, Dominic Calvert-Lewin and Alexander Isak are all being linked with the Gunners. A deal for Osimhen, in particular, looks tough, especially given his inflated asking price.

However, one man who has been consistently linked is Spain striker Morata. The 29-year-old is at something of a career crossroads having just concluded a two-year loan back at Juventus.

The Bianconeri are seemingly unwilling to make his move permanent and have no interest in a new loan. Meanwhile, he does not figure in the plans of parent club Atletico Madrid.

According to Tuttosport, that leaves Morata with two options: Barcelona and Arsenal.

The problem for Morata is that he is only their second-choice option behind Robert Lewandowski. As such, the Italian paper claims Arsenal are ‘very attentive’ to the deal – and believe they could win the race.

And with Morata being left with perhaps little other option, the former Chelsea man may find himself back in London and the Premier League.

Alvaro Morata has scored 24 goals in 74 appearances for the Blues during a two-year spell between 2017 and 2019.