Arsenal Transfer News: Alexandre Lacazette Rumours Amid Rob Holding Arrival

Rumours are abounding that Arsenal will move to sign Lyon striker Alexandre Lacazette this summer after the club left an ambiguous message in their confirmation regarding the arrival of defender Rob Holding.

The official Arsenal website announced Holding's capture on Friday, and the Guardian's Ed Aarons was quick to highlight the report's sign-off, which read: “We remain in the market, so stay close to Arsenal.com for any further transfer news.”

Laurent Cipriani/Associated Press

Holding has been brought to the Emirates Stadium from Bolton Wanderers for the modest reported fee of just £2 million, and Gunners fans are hoping activity will quickly pick back up in north London.

Lacazette has been fiercely linked with a move to Arsenal in the past, and Bleacher Report's Jonathan Johnson sourced French newspaper L'Equipe, which alleged the forward wants out at Lyon:

The France frontman recovered from a slow start to the 2015-16 campaign to finish with a haul of 23 goals in 44 games across all competitions, notching 76 of his 92 career goals in the last three seasons.

Aarons also provided quotes from Lacazette's agent, David Venditelli, who moved to quiet speculation his client is seeking a Lyon exit: “We can not comment on the information that can appear in the press. We have decided with the player not to say anything at this time.”

Matt Spiro, presenter of the Ligue 1 Show, mentioned Lacazette's links to Paris Saint-Germain but also added the forward would like to function as part of an attacking duo, something that hasn't been done at Arsenal of late:

Arsenal's summer got off to an explosive start after they announced the £30 million capture of Borussia Monchengladbach enforcer Granit Xhaka, but things have gone quiet on the transfer front since then.

Supporters have also been hit with the news they may not make any more major signings this summer after chief executive Ivan Gazidis told ESPNFC's Jeff Carlisle of the club's transfer tactics, per the Mirror's Mark Mann-Bryans:

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This approach, for us, gives us a very, very powerful balance because it's not just about spending money but about how you spend your money and doing it wisely. It's about having a strong core philosophy and values within the club that players buy into and our fans can be proud of.

These are all things that lead to success, and when you look at Arsenal over the last four or five years, there's no question that the squad has been progressing in strength.

We've got a squad now that we believe is capable of competing to win the Premier League. We came in second last year, which was disappointing. But we're on the right track.

"

Olivier Giroud finished last season as Arsenal's top scorer after netting 16 Premier League goals and 24 across all competitions, but the sense is the club requires a higher class of frontman.

Bleacher Report's James McNicholas recently agreed with that sentiment and put the club's search for a leading frontman into further context:

Lacazette could potentially work to great effect as half of a dynamic duo alongside his international compatriot, but Lyon will most likely drive a hard bargain for arguably their most prized asset.

Wenger has always shown an affinity for recruiting talent from his native Ligue 1—former Montpellier man Giroud being a prime example—and maintained interest in Lacazette suggests that tradition could be kept alive this summer.