Arsenal have been told to forget about signing Real Madrid striker Alvaro Morata in January, but boss Carlo Ancelotti hinted the player could be available in the summer, according to the Metro. The Gunners have been strongly linked with the 21-year-old starlet in recent weeks, with Morata struggling to get playing time at the Bernabeau, behind Cristiano Ronaldo, Gareth Bale and Karim Benzema in the pecking order. That had given Arsenal hope of signing the Spain international, but Madrid boss Ancelotti says he's going nowhere - for the time being, at least. He said:
"Morata stays because we need him. Its true that he has not played many games but we have every confidence in him. "It could be at the end of the season that he is not happy and we can think about letting him go but we need him now."
Arsenal are believed to be in the market for a new forward as manager Arsene Wenger looks to take some of the pressure off Oliver Giroud, who is currently the side's only fit senior striker. Lukas Podolski remains out with a long-term hamstring injury, while new signing Yaya Sanogo is out indefinitely with a back injury. However, with Nicklas Bendtner scoring a rare but encouraging goal against Hull in the Premier League midweek, coupled with Theo Walcott's return to match fitness, Wenger may decide to stick with what he's got. The Gunners are currently top of the Premier League, four points clear of closest rival Chelsea in second.
Joseph is an accredited football journalist and has interviewed nearly all of the current 20 Barclay's Premier League managers. He is also a correspondent for Bleacher Report and has written for Caught Offside and Give Me Football.
