Rumour: Arsenal hopes of signing Real Madrid's Alvaro Morata dashed

Alvaro Morata

Arsenal have been dealt a second blow in two days with the news that one of their top targets Alvaro Morata will not be leaving the Santiago Bernabeu this season.

The Gunners are keen to bolster their goal-scoring department after, first, Nicklas Bendtner was ruled out with injury, and second, Theo Walcott was ruled out for the season.

Olivier Giroud is now the only recognised senior striker in the first-team so Arsene Wenger was looking to Morata to provide good back-up for the Frenchman.

Morata has started just one La Liga game this season and has scored twice so Wenger thought he may be able to tempt the Spaniard to the Emirates with guarantees of first-team football. Morata is behind Karim Benzema at Real Madrid and will struggle to wrestle that starting spot from him unless he’s given a run of games in the starting line-up, which again, is unlikely.

But Standard Sport understands that Real consider him important back-up to Benzema because Cristiano Ronaldo is uncomfortable playing in that position and are therefore unwilling to take the risk of allowing Morata to leave on a temporary basis.

Wenger now has a problem as none of his long-term options are available this month. Gonzalo Higuain is out of reach at Napoli and Luis Suarez has recently signed a new mega-deal with Liverpool. Benzema is another formerly linked to Arsenal but the chances of Madrid selling him are slim.

Now that Morata seems to be staying in Spain, Wenger must find other solutions and fast, or face the remainder of the season with just Giroud as his forward line.

Morata has been strong off the ball this season, winning 12/17 headed duels and 4/5 tackles in 10 appearances in La Liga.