Arsenal
Premier League • England
Alvaro Morata transfer latest: Striker reveals his ‘options’ and ‘preferences’ as Arsenal talks heat up
Alvaro Morata has indicated he will be on the move this summer amid ongoing speculation that he will return to the Premier League with Arsenal.
The Gunners are in the market for a new centre forward this summer having confirmed the exit of Alexandre Lacazette. The Frenchman will depart Emirates Stadium as a free agent, having arrived in a then club-record £46.5m deal in 2017. But his exit will leave Mikel Arteta short of options up front and looking for at least one new arrival.
To that end, the Gunnerds are being linked strongly with a move for Gabriel Jesus. However, despite having just a year left on his deal, Manchester City are standing firm on his valuation. Furthermore, there remains doubts over whether he will drop to a side who can only offer Europa League football.
Either way, the striker has offered a telling update on his future with a deadline set on his possible exit.
Should Arsenal be unable to strike a deal for Jesus, they could have more joy in moving for Morata.
The striker is very much available this summer, having come to the end of a two-year loan at Juventus. The Bianconeri have decided against making his move permanent, having swooped for Dusan Vlahovic in January.
And with Morata also unwanted at parent club Atletico Madrid, he looks set to depart for a modest fee.
Arsenal in pole position
To that end, a report recently claimed Arsenal are well placed to land him.
The 29-year-old striker served a reminder of his abilities on Thursday night with a goal in Spain’s 1-1 Nations League draw v Portugal.
And he has now addressed his future, making clear he has options and preferences over his next move.
He said: “It does not depend on me. I am calm, because, thank God, I have my wife and my children who follow me wherever I have to go.
“Yes, it is true that there are preferences that one has, but in the end I have enough options.
“I have that luck too. In the end, it doesn’t depend on me. The only thing I can do is work here very hard and then vacation.”
Alvaro Morata won’t be Arsenal’s first choice
The Gunners surely won’t be in a hurry to seal the signing of Morata. At 29 years of age, he will have little to no sell-on value if Arsenal sign him now.
And while he is a striker who has enjoyed an excellent career, he has rarely been prolific at any of the clubs he has turned out for.
As a result, Morata has rarely stayed at one club for any length of time.
It seems, likely, Arsenal will probably pursue other options first before they look to land Morata. The striker has indicated he has transfer options this summer, though there does not appear any obvious candidate, beyond Arsenal, looking to sign him.
Shock Alvaro Morata move to Arsenal
Alvaro Morata could leave Atletico Madrid this summer for Arsenal and not return to Juventus
Instead, the Gunners would be wise to bide their time and explore other options first. And while his price looks steep as it stands, a possible deal for Gabriel Jesus would certainly make more sense.
Alvaro Morata showed what he is capable of during a previous spell in England with Chelsea. He scored 24 times in 72 appearances for the Blues, a one-in-three record which is very much typical of his career so far.