Arsenal are reportedly interested in a summer move for Real Madrid midfielder Marcos Llorente, who is open to leaving the Spanish club.
According to a report by Spanish publication AS, Marcos Llorente has found an admirer in Premier League club Arsenal. The Spanish midfielder is open to the idea of leaving Real Madrid in favour of a switch to the Premier League, with Manchester United also showing an interest in him.
Marcos Llorente joined Real Madrid as a schoolboy, back in 2008 and has come up leaps and bounds since his days in the youth setup at the club. While he had to bide his time after breaking into the first-team setup, an impressive loan spell at Deportivo Alaves in the 2016-17 season had always set him up for a bright future.
2018-19 though, has truly turned out to be a breakthrough season for Llorente at Real Madrid. While he still is not an indispensable figure, he has made enough of an impact to be considered a worthy alternative to Casemiro, and has made 15 appearances across all competitions. But, Arsenal present an interesting future away from the Spanish capital.
The interest from the Gunners comes as a bit of a surprise, with Lucas Torreira only making his way to the Emirates last summer. Apart from Torreira, Unai Emery also has Granit Xhaka and Matteo Guendouzi at his disposal, although Mohamed Elneny’s potential departure in the summer should open up a space in the Arsenal midfield.
But, the priority for Arsenal ought to be seeking a replacement for Aaron Ramsey, who is set to join Juventus this summer. And, Llorente is the kind of player who would compete with Torreira and Guendouzi for a place in the middle of the park than occupying a more advanced position.
Having said that, the recruitment of Llorente might just help Emery implement his preferred 4-3-3 formation, if he manages to secure the services of the long sought winger. Meanwhile, Arsenal also have Manchester United for company in pursuit of the talented 24-year-old midfielder.
That the player is also keen on making his way out of the Santiago Bernabeu would hand Arsenal a boost, although the likes of Sevilla and Atletico Madrid are also weighing up the possibility of signing him.
Wherever he ends up, it looks like Marcos Llorente’s future lies away from Real Madrid, as he seeks more regular game time next season. It now remains to be seen if Arsenal are able to secure his services this summer, or if some other suitor swoops him away instead.
