Arsenal’s interest in the Real Madrid striker, Alvaro Morata has been out in the open for a number of days. Wenger is understandably desperate to get in a new striker at the earliest possible to ease the pressure on Olivier Giroud, who could make his return to the team from injury and illness this weekend. He is the lone fit striker at the club, following injuries to Nicklas Bendtner and Theo Walcott.

Morata is understood to be keen to go out on loan in order to get some valuable playing time under his belt; however the Madrid hierarchy and their manager Carlo Ancelotti had made it clear that the young striker will not be leaving Madrid in January. Despite the statement, there have been reports of officials from Arsenal still being in talks with the Spanish giants, trying hard to get the deal done.

Metro now claim that Wenger has pulled out all the stops in his attempts to get the 21-year old this month. He has upped the stakes by offering Madrid and Ancelotti £2 million for allowing a loan deal until the end of the season. He wants to leave no stone unturned in his pursuit of Morata, and hopes that the added incentive of the money could be enough to change Real Madrid’s stance on Morata.