With Arsenal’s seemingly never-ending love affair with Lyon’s Alexandre Lacazette dragging on for what seems to be the tenth straight year, we might actually get a resolution out of it once and for all.
Per the omniscient David Ornstein:
Arsenal are close to agreeing a deal to sign Lyon striker Alexandre Lacazette. Negotiations continuing, expected to be club record fee #AFC
— David Ornstein (@bbcsport_david) June 30, 2017
FINALLY.
But in all seriousness, Arsenal will need to find goals somewhere with star man Alexis Sanchez expected to leave the club via transfer either this summer (and possibly to top-four rivals Manchester City) or on a free deal next summer. Lacazette is a player who has proven to be able to net 20+ goals in a top-5 league, and though he may not be the number one player on fans’ minds he’d be a more consistent option than Danny Welbeck while having an age advantage over Olivier Giroud.
The fee is rumored to be £45m plus add-ons which is not only fair, but moderate enough to allow the club to chase other targets such as Monaco’s Thomas Lemar (though perhaps unlikely now). Alexis seems to be heading out the door this summer but if the club can keep him and Mesut Ozil while adding Lacazette and potentially Lemar, that would certainly be an attack worthy enough of Champions League play should they stay healthy and happy.
Stay tuned for more.