Arsenal Transfer News: Latest Rumours on Alexandre Lacazette, Lorenzo Insigne
Lyon president Jean-Michel Aulas has confirmed the club want to offer reported Arsenal target Alexandre Lacazette a new contract.
The striker was strongly linked with a move to the Emirates Stadium during the summer, with Lyon confirming they turned down an offer of £29 million for the player from the Gunners. After keeping him on board for 2016-17, Aulas said they're keen to protect their prize asset with extended terms.
"I would like for us to be able to extend Alexandre's contract," he said after Lyon's 2-1 win over Toulouse on Saturday, in which Lacazette bagged an impressive brace, per Darren Lewis of the Daily Mirror. His current deal runs until 2019.
Here's a look at why plenty consider the Frenchman, who already has nine league goals this term, as one of the best centre-forwards in European football:
According to Lewis, West Ham United are also big admirers of the striker and had an offer of £31 million rejected in May.
Getting in a new centre-forward last summer was considered a priority for Arsenal. For so long, their attacking play had been tremendous up to a point, although manager Arsene Wenger was without a dynamic, ruthless option leading the line up top.
While Arsenal eventually moved for Lucas Perez, they've found that outlet in Alexis Sanchez this term, as the Chilean has been abuzz with intensity and incision as a centre-forward. However, Lacazette would have offered plenty in the position, too.
These numbers from the UEFA Champions League Twitter feed illustrate just how reliable Lacazette has been in front of goal for Lyon:
Having emerged through the club's revered academy setup, it's no surprise Lyon are desperate to keep Lacazette with them for as long as possible. Given the team's recent renaissance and UEFA Champions League football, the Ligue 1 side are an attractive proposition. However, now 25, the forward may feel the time is right to test himself in a stronger league with a titan of the European game.
Arsenal Linked to Lorenzo Insigne
According to Il Messaggero (h/t Tom Coast of Sport Witness), Arsenal are poised to join Liverpool, Tottenham Hotspur and Wolfsburg in pursuit of Napoli star Lorenzo Insigne.
In the report, it's suggested talks over a new deal between player and club have stalled, with a clutch of elite European sides ready to capitalise on the delay. It's noted Napoli are not willing to match Insigne's weekly wage demands of £80,000, a sum that wouldn't be too excessive for any of the Premier League teams mentioned.
The 25-year-old starred for Napoli last season, although he has found form difficult to come by in 2016-17, failing to net in any of his 10 league appearances. Here is what he can offer at full throttle:
While there would be doubts as to whether Insigne possesses the physicality needed to thrive in English football, technically he's extremely gifted. Indeed, it's easy to see him excelling in one of the three attacking midfield spots behind the centre-forward for any of the aforementioned Premier League sides.
As these numbers from WhoScored.com show, although he's not been at his best this season, there's an unbending determination in the Italian's play:
After the sale of Gonzalo Higuain to Juventus in the summer, many expected Insigne to replace the forward as Napoli's talisman. However, without the club's former No. 9 up top, he's struggled to have quite the same kind of impact.
It'd be fascinating to see how Insigne would fare in English football. Arsenal play a brand of football that would potentially draw the best out of the Italy international, although Wenger currently has a surfeit of superb options to choose from already in this area of the field.
