Arsenal Transfer News: Latest on Alexandre Lacazette and Djibril Sidibe Rumours

Arsenal will reportedly have to pay a whopping £42 million if they want to sign Alexandre Lacazette from Lyon this summer. 

A story from Jason Burt in the Daily Telegraph had stated the Gunners were willing to trigger the player’s £34 million release clause this summer. However, according to Simon Jones of the MailOnline, Lyon have insisted there is no trigger amount and have demanded the aforementioned sum.

It’s stated the Gunners are “reluctant” to pay so much for Lacazette, who has also been linked with Atletico Madrid, West Ham United and rivals Tottenham Hotspur.

A fee around the £42 million mark could equate to a joint-record transfer for Arsenal, having splashed £42.4 million to bring Mesut Ozil to the club in the summer of 2013.

Here is a look at why a lot supporters would happily see Wenger part with that type of money for the 25-year-old:

The point of the attack poses a peculiar conundrum for those who frequent the Emirates Stadium. For years it’s a position the manager has been reluctant to address with a top-quality acquisition. So while Danny Welbeck and Olivier Giroud have both done functional jobs up front, the edge that an elite striker brings has been absent.

And that’s cost Arsenal. So often the Gunners fail to find a way past organised defences in tight matches; someone that’s alive in the penalty area would help swing those kinds of contests their way. 

After a difficult beginning to the season, the France international striker came alive late on in the 2015-16 term.

Here is a look at how he compared statistically in league matches to his compatriot and current Arsenal first-choice Giroud:

	Lacazette	Giroud
Apps (Sub)	34	26 (12)
Goals	21	16
Assists	3	6
Shots per game	2.8	2.7
Key passes per game	1.3	0.9
Dribbles per game	1.7	0.3
Aerial duels won per game	0.9	2.7

Lacazette would bring a dynamic presence to the Arsenal team. The Lyon man loiters on the shoulder of opposition defenders and would potentially thrive off the probing passes of Mesut Ozil, Santi Cazorla and Aaron Ramsey. He’d bring some overdue competition to the squad, too.

Another area Wenger may feel as though he needs to add depth to is in the full-back spots. According to Jones, Arsenal have “enquired” about Lille man Djibril Sidibe, who played on both the right and the left of the defence for the Ligue 1 outfit last term.

FRANCK FIFE/Getty Images

Naturally, he’s a right-sided player and has looked more comfortable on that flank. While he’s impressed plenty with his energetic displays, Bleacher Report’s Andrew Gibney isn’t sure he has what’s required to make the grade at Arsenal:

In the full-back berths, Arsenal have two strong first-choice options. Hector Bellerin is a rapid presence on the right flank, able to get forward and make a big impression in the final third, while Nacho Monreal is a steady operator on the left who brings a defensive balance to the Gunners.

Sidibe hasn’t shown quite enough to suggest he’s capable at ousting either of those players from their role. What he would provide is cover and versatility at both left and right-back. Given the amount of games the Gunners will be playing next season, having a player of that ilk would certainly be helpful for Wenger.