Arsenal have reportedly made a move for Atletico Madrid striker Alvaro Morata, according to reports coming out of Italy.
What's the word?
As per TuttoMercatoWeb, the La Liga side have 'received an offer' for the Spaniard from the Gunners, with Mikel Arteta and co hoping to steal a march on Serie A giants Juventus, who are believed to be keen on securing a permanent deal for the 29-year-old.
The 56-cap gem has spent the last two seasons on loan in Turin - having also previously enjoyed two years with the Italian outfit after signing from Real Madrid in 2014 - with his total record for the club now standing at 59 goals and 39 assists in 185 appearances in all competitions.
There are, however, said to be 'economic differences' between Max Allegri's side and the forward's parent club, with that uncertainty potentially allowing the Emirates outfit the chance to pounce for the £125k-per-week ace.
Disaster
Signing a new centre-forward has seemingly become something of a priority for sporting director, Edu, with the north Londoners having seen Alexandre Lacazette return to Lyon on a free transfer this summer, while former skipper Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang joined Barcelona in January.
The recent confirmation that academy product Eddie Nketiah has signed a new long-term extension at the club has helped to ease the blow of those departures, although it would seem that the 22-year-old alone cannot shoulder the goalscoring burden alone.
Having also been linked with Manchester City's Gabriel Jesus, it would seem that Morata is one of the names on the club's attacking shortlist, albeit with it somewhat questionable as to the wisdom of signing a player who has already underwhelmed in English football.
The £22.5m-rated marksman previously endured a difficult spell at London rivals Chelsea, having joined the club in a then club-record £60m deal from Los Blancos in 2017.
The two-time Champions League winner went on to score just 24 goals and provide just six assists in 72 games in all competitions during his confidence-sapping stint at Stamford Bridge, with his knack for missing chances and all-round woes seeing the move categorised as something of a "disaster" - in the words of the player himself.
While he has proven his talent at other top European clubs - earning praise for his "composed" finishing from journalist Josh Bunting - it is hard to shake what was such a dire 18-month period with the Blues, with Arteta not wanting to replicate previous mistakes by bringing in another former Chelsea man.
The arrivals of the likes of David Luiz and Willian previously proved notable costly errors, with the Gunners boss potentially better served identifying a younger, hungrier alternative this summer.