Mikel Arteta has been handed another blow in his mission to sign a new striker at Arsenal ahead of the upcoming transfer window. The Gunners are in the market for a centre-forward after allowing Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang to join Barcelona during the January transfer window, while Alexandre Lacazette is also set to leave when his contract expires.
football.london understand that Gabriel Jesus and Tammy Abraham are two names on the club's shortlist of profiles, and technical director Edu has already held talks with the Manchester City forward's representatives. However, Spanish outlet Sport have reported that the north London outfit are, in fact, pursuing Atletico Madrid's Alvaro Morata.
It's believed that Arsenal have lodged an offer of €30million (£26million) for the former Chelsea striker, and they are said to be 'very close' to securing his services. But, Italian newspaper Corriere dello Sport, as quoted by Sport Witness, claim that the 29-year-old isn't convinced by about a return to the Premier League.
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The latest reports have outlined that the Spain international has shown no interest in penning a deal at the Emirates Stadium, though it could come as a blessing in disguise. Arteta has made it no secret of his desire to sign a clinical number nine that possesses considerable goal threat, something that Morata - statistically - doesn't have, having netted just 32 goals in his last 92 outings.
When asked by SkySports what were the qualities he is looking for in a new frontman, Arteta said: "He puts the ball in the net, that's priority number one. Goal threat.
"Any successful team needs enough goal threat in the squad. Without it, you have nothing. You can play good football, but you need enough goal threat in the team.
"The other thing is that he has to complement the other people we have, personally and on the pitch, and for that, we need the right profile.
"We need a profile where you can exploit his qualities at the same time as the qualities we already have, so we don't have to transform our way of playing again to adapt to that specific player.
"He has to have a certain age, a certain level of experience, and he has to be able to come here and play under the pressure of being at Arsenal."
