Barcelona Transfer News: Alexandre Lacazette Reveals 'Dream' Move, Fresh Rumours

Olympique Lyonnais striker and reported Arsenal target Alexandre Lacazette has revealed his desire to leave the Ligue 1 outfit in the summer and described the possibility of joining Barcelona as a "dream."

He told broadcaster Canal+ (h/t Goal): "I think that the right moment has arrived to leave. I think that this summer I will need a change of scenery and [to] discover something else, still with the idea of advancing and progressing in terms of football and as a person."

He added that he would love to link up with former team-mate Samuel Umtiti at the Camp Nou: "Barcelona to join Umtiti? It is a very big club. They have extraterrestrials up front. It would be a dream. If that happens, great, but I am not here to say that I will take a place from Luis Suarez. But I would like to play for them one day."

The Frenchman has netted 21 goals in all competitions this season, including 18 in Ligue 1.

According to Goal's Mohammed Ali, it is not the first time Lacazette has discussed his future recently:

Lyon are fourth in Ligue 1 and 12 points behind third-place OGC Nice, so a UEFA Champions League spot looks unlikely—perhaps the club's position has prompted him to be more open about his desire to leave.

Barcelona are the top scorers in La Liga, with 55 goals, and as Lacazette noted, breaking into a team with Suarez already leading the line would be a sizeable challenge:

The Blaugrana already brought in a reinforcement up front last summer in the form of Paco Alcacer. The 23-year-old has struggled for game time, spending just 809 minutes on the pitch in all competitions thus far.

Alcacer's form hasn't helped, either—he's not particularly impressed since his arrival, though he did net his first league goal for Barca on Saturday:

Lacazette is a proven and more prolific goalscorer, but bringing him in would be tantamount to writing off Alcacer's Camp Nou career.

The Gunners would be a better option—they could do with a more clinical finisher than Olivier Giroud up top if they want to put in a serious title challenge, and he'd be a key player at the Emirates Stadium rather than a back-up at Barcelona.

Lyon won't let him leave cheaply, and there will be plenty of other interested parties, however, so Arsenal may need to be prepared to break the bank if they're to land him.

Manuel Queimadelos Alonso/Getty Images

Meanwhile, Ivan Rakitic recently told Novi List (h/t Calciomercato.com) of his intent to sign a new deal at Barcelona, which he said the club is preparing for him.

The Croatian has been linked with a move to Juventus or Manchester City in recent weeks after finding his place in the team to be less secure than it previously had been.

Rakitic is a key performer for Barca, though, so while he may not be as eye-catching as Andres Iniesta or Lionel Messi, keeping him at the club would represent excellent business—his work rate and all-around excellence in midfield mean he would be a significant loss.