Arsenal target Edinson Cavani: Atletico Madrid 'hope a deal can be done' to sign PSG striker

Atletico Madrid are interested in signing reported Arsenal target Edinson Cavani, according to the Spanish side's fitness coach, Oscar Ortega.

Cavani joined Paris Saint-Germain from Napoli in 2013 but has struggled to convince manager Laurent Blanc he deserves a leading role up front, with Zlatan Ibrahimovic still an untouchable figure at Parc de Princes.

While the Uruguayan does maintain a presence in the first team, he remains linked with a move to the Premier League with Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger a known admirer of the striker.

But should Cavani consider leaving the French champions, Atletico will be ready to make an offer, according to Ortega, one of manager Diego Simeone's trusted lieutenants.

"Yes, we have an interest in Cavani," Ortega is quoted as saying by Spanish daily Mundo Deportivo. "Let's hope a deal can be done and we succeed in bringing him here."

Atletico spent over £50m ($75m) bolstering their forward options in summer 2014, bringing Antoine Griezmann, Mario Mandzukic and Raul Jimenez to the club. Fernando Torres also joined the ranks in January, returning to his boyhood club on loan from Milan.

But former Atletico star Diego Forlan, who won Spain's coveted Pichichi trophy with the club in 2009, believes his countryman would be perfectly suited for the club's combative style.

"It would be spectacular because Cavani is a great striker and it will be a great time for him," Forlan, now of Japanese second division club Cerezo Osaka, told Cope. "I think his style of play is ideal for Atletico because he is a fast player who likes to fight back.

"Atletico players have always been characterised by this kind of player in attack like Fernando Torres, Sergio Aguero, Diego Costa and Radamel Falcao."