Liverpool are gearing up to hijack Arsenal's ambitious move for Real Madrid striker Alvaro Morata.

The Gunners have been heavily linked with the Spain Under-21 international and are willing to pay £2million to take him on loan for the rest of the season.

Arsene Wenger needs reinforcements for an attack which will be without Theo Walcott for the rest of the season while Olivier Giroud and Nicklas Bendtner have also suffered with injuries.

But the Liverpool Echo reports that Brendan Rodgers is turning his attentions to Morata after missing out on Basle front man Mohamed Salah, who appears destined to join Zenit St Petersburg.

The Reds boss is desperate to strengthen his own attack as he fears his strikeforce is limited if Luis Suarez or Daniel Sturridge, who is just returning from a spell on the sidelines, are forced to miss a number of games down the stretch.

Real have been reluctant to allow Morata to go out on loan and Tottenham failed to land him in the summer as part of the the world record £86m deal which sent Gareth Bale to the Bernabeu.

But it is believed that he has fallen out of favour with Real Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti, raising hopes he may yet to be allowed to leave the Spanish capital on a temporary basis.

Source: Metro