alvaro morata in arsenal radar

Arsenal are weighing up a January loan move for Alvaro Morata - but will only get him if Real Madrid sign Luis Suarez in the winter window.

Arsene Wenger has turned his attention to striker Morata as he prepares to reinforce his front line next month.the Frenchman is an admirer of Morata, a Spain Under-21 international, but sources have said that he will only be loaned out by Real in January if the Spanish giants can clinch the sensational signing of Suarez.

. It is understood Real will pay up to €71 million to prise the Uruguayan from Anfield.

A side effect of what is likely to develop into one of next year's principal transfer sagas is the future of Morata.

The 21-year-old has only started one Madrid match this season, but he has come off the substitute's bench on 13 occasions, scoring two goals.

Head coach Carlo Ancelotti admitted on Friday that the forward could be loaned out next season but ruled out the possibility of a move in the second half of this campaign, describing the subject as "closed".

However, that would change if Real are successful in what is expected to develop into a concerted push for Suarez.

Wenger’s priority remains to capture a top striker after moves for Suarez, Gonzalo Higuain, Stevan Jovetic and Wayne Rooney all fell through last summer, while the Gunners were also unable to agree a last-ditch loan deal for Chelsea’s Demba Ba.

Wenger is well aware of the difficulties in landing A-list options in the notoriously difficult January window, when the big clubs are reluctant to sell their best players.

Arsenal accept that Liverpool will not sell Suarez to them in the new year and, despite receiving encouragement that Rooney is still unsettled at Manchester United, have turned their attention to more realistic alternatives

The Gunners are also keeping close tabs on a second Serie A forward, Stephan El Shaarawy, although any move for the AC Milan player is expected to be delayed until next summer.