Arsenal are ready to lock horns with Chelsea in a battle to sign Alvaro Morata from Real Madrid but the European champions must lower their £57million asking price.

The 23-year-old’s representative Juanma Lopez is set for talks with senior officials at Madrid this week and Morata would like the chance to prove himself at the Bernabeu. Standard Sport understands Real president Florentino Perez is an admirer of Morata and was influential in inserting the £23m buy-back clause which the club triggered last month to re-sign him from Juventus.

However, Karim Benzema remains Real’s first-choice striker and Morata could decide his future lies elsewhere if he is not given assurances over regular first-team action.

The Spain striker scored three goals at Euro 2016 and believes he is ready to lead the line at a top European club. Real have already indicated a willingness to listen to offers for Morata in the knowledge they can make a significant profit on a player not essential to their immediate plans.

Chelsea have an advantage in that their new manager Antonio Conte convinced Morata to join Juventus from Real two years ago and has since helped him develop as a player. But it is believed Chelsea are unwilling to meet Real’s £57m valuation of the player and will only enter a bidding war if Diego Costa pushes through a move back to his former club Atletico Madrid.

Arsenal are also reluctant to do business at that price but have been forced to look at other targets after their bid to prise Jamie Vardy from Leicester City failed.

Wenger has been a long-time admirer of Morata, having traced his progress since he was a teenager in Real Madrid’s youth set-up, and is keen to bolster the Gunners’ forward line.

Morata is Wenger’s preferred choice but during his time at Euro 2016 working as a television pundit, he has met with Alexandre Lacazette’s representatives and asked to be kept informed of the player’s availability.

Lyon president Jean-Michel Aulas claimed in the last few days that he was confident Lacazatte would stay despite interest from a number of clubs but Arsenal may turn to the 25-year-old as an alternative should Real dig their heels in over Morata’s valuation.

Reports have also linked Arsenal with a move for Everton striker Romelu Lukaku but the club are highly unlikely to entertain the £60m asking price.

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