Arsenal Transfer News: Alexandre Lacazette Talks Amid Latest Gunners Rumours
Reported Arsenal target Alexandre Lacazette has refused to rule out a move away from Olympique Lyonnais this summer.
He told French TV station Canal+ on Sunday (h/t Jamie Styles of the Daily Star) he was prepared to stay but would listen to any offers that come in: "If offers come in that one cannot refuse, I don’t want to refuse them. If not, I am happy at Lyon."
Per Get French Football News, the striker was coy when asked directly about any offers he'd received, though:
The Frenchman bagged a hat-trick as his side beat AS Nancy 3-0 in their Ligue 1 opener. His goals can be seen here:
Football writer Robin Bairner was impressed:
According to Styles, the Gunners have already seen a bid for the striker rejected but may go back in for him with a more substantial offer than the £29.3 million they are said to have bid in July.
It's clear Arsenal are in need of a clinical striker if they're to sustain a Premier League title challenge this season. Olivier Giroud is a useful player to have around, but he is not ruthless enough to carry the side's goalscoring responsibilities alone. Nor is Theo Walcott.
With Danny Welbeck often injured—and not prolific enough when he is fit—the Gunners have few viable options at centre-forward.
By contrast, Lacazette has proved to be a reliable goalscorer and carries more of a threat than the aforementioned Arsenal trio, per Squawka Football:
Should he join the Gunners, their prospects of Premier League and European success would receive a serious boost, as the team would become far more potent in the final third.
As for Lacazette, his pace and predatory instincts in the penalty area would likely see him thrive on a personal level, with the likes of Mesut Ozil and Santi Cazorla fashioning chances for him each week.
If Arsenal hold any ambitions of beating the likes of Manchester United, Manchester City and Chelsea to the title this season, they simply must buy a top-level striker.
Lacazette is of the calibre required and one of the few top strikers in Europe not already plying his trade for an elite club—Arsenal need to secure his signature this summer.
