Arsenal Transfer Rumors: Gunners Prepared To Make Offer For Jackson Martinez; Alvaro Morata Target At Emirates

The Arsenal Gunners are no stranger to the summer and winter transfer periods. After reeling in former Real Madrid midfielder Mesut Ozil – who recently won his third straight German Player of the Year Award – during the 2013 summer window, manager Arsene Wenger and company have their sights set on upgrading the forward position and according to multiple sources, the top team in the current Barclays Premier League standings won’t hesitate to spend big money. Leading the BPL with 45 points, Arsenal holds a one point lead on Manchester City and a two point edge over Jose Mourinho’s Chelsea squad but with half the league season remaining, Wenger knows an addition at a scoring position will help his team in reaching the ultimate goal.

One of the players Wenger and company hold in high regard is current Porto forward Jackson Martinez. A 27-year-old goal-scorer from Quibdo, Colombia, Jackson is viewed as a top priority for Arsenal during the current January transfer window. In 44 career Portuguese Liga matches, Martinez has scored 38 goals and his ability to create plays and wreak havoc in the offensive end makes him a highly appetizing player. Should the Gunners make a strong move for the scorer however, Bleacher Report indicates that the Premier League leaders will need to be willing to drop a £33.2million fee for the players release clause.

While Wenger and Arsenal higher-ups continue to monitor Martinez, Sky Sports indicates that the Gunners remain on the trail of current Real Madrid striker Alvaro Morata. Due to a low amount of playing time, Carlo Ancelotti’s young talent has grown unhappy with his current situation at the Bernabeu. With many believing a departure is on the way, the 21-year-old said recently that he would be open to a move if his playing time does not increase. Though he remains loyal to Real Madrid – since they’ve been his team for his entire life – Morata realizes that being a regular fixture with a club is the important piece of a player’s career.=

“Real Madrid have been my team since I was little and will be all my life, but I think the important thing is to have a relevant role in the team,” he said recently. “If I ever feel that's not the case, I would look at other options. In football, it's very difficult to stay at the top and even more so in a team like Real. Moving up to the first team is tricky, not everyone deals with it well. If you learn how to handle it, you realize the value of every minute.”

In addition to drawing the interest of Arsenal, the Tottenham Spurs have also been keeping a close watch on the Madrid, Spain native. Appearing in 10 Spanish Primera Division contests this season, the striker has recorded 2 goals on 16 shot attempts.