Arsenal transfer rumour: Gunners planning club-record £51m bid for Juventus striker Alvaro Morata

Arsenal are planning an approach in bringing Juventus striker Alvaro Morata to the Emirates in the summer transfer window. The 23-year-old has long been a transfer target for the north London club, even during his time at Real Madrid.

According to Italian publication Gazzeta dello Sport via talkSPORT, the Gunners are preparing a club-record £51m ($74.4m) bid to secure his services. He joined the Turin side from the Spanish capital club in 2014 and during his switch to the Serie A, Real inserted a buyback clause of £23.6m ($34.4m) in the contract.

Juventus general director Giuseppe Marotta has admitted the Spain international wants to continue with the Italian champions and has no intention of leaving them. Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger is aware of the situation and thus they are negotiating with Real, Morata's former club.

Arsenal are convincing Real to activate his buyback clause, so that they could buy him and then sell Morata to them for a mammoth fee of £51m. Despite Marotta's suggestion that the frontman wants Juventus stay, the report suggests the player is keen on making a move to the Premier League.

Wenger has Olivier Giroud, Theo Walcott and Danny Welbeck as his first choice strikers in the squad. The latter suffered a knee injury in his side's 2-2 draw against Manchester City earlier in May and that will keep him out of action for nine months.

Walcott's long-term future at Arsenal remains uncertain and that has left Wenger with Giroud as the only recognised striker in the squad. The Frenchman admitted that he has faith in his compatriot but suggested the Gunners will be looking to bring in a striker in the summer.

Any move from Arsenal for Morata will see them face competition. The same report also claims their league rivals Manchester United are also in the race for Morata's signature. The Red Devils, like Arsenal, are also looking to bolster their attack for the 2016/17 season.