Arsenal Transfer News: Latest Rumours on Alexandre Lacazette and David Ospina
Arsenal could miss the chance to sign Alexandre Lacazette, with Olympique Lyonnais reportedly prepared to sell the Gunners target to Ligue 1 rivals Paris Saint-Germain.
It means Arsenal could be left disappointed in their pursuit of a striker the north London club has been told will cost as much as £60 million. However, the Gunners could stay in the race and lower the cost by offering centre-forward Olivier Giroud in a swap, per reports in France.
The words of Lyon president Jean-Michel Aulas will have Arsenal concerned. He told France Football he is open to selling his best player to a domestic rival (h/t James Benge of the London Evening Standard):
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"I know [PSG chairman] Nasser [Al-Khelaifi] suggested to [French Football Federation president] Noel Le Graet that he is not investing that much in French players because he thought other presidents of French clubs looked badly upon it.
"I want him to know that if he makes an offer for Alexandre at least equal to that of the other clubs bidding for him, then Alex can go to Paris without problem."
Aulas also lamented how selling France internationals abroad strengthens other leagues while weakening the French top flight.
These words could be a negotiating ploy from Aulas, notoriously a tough negotiator. He could be attempting to drive up the price for a player Arsenal are known to be interested in, with Benge identifying the 26-year-old as the club's main alternative to AS Monaco's Kylian Mbappe.
The Gunners have already held talks over Lacazette, where they learned the price Lyon will demand, per Jason Burt of the Daily Telegraph: "Arsenal have been quoted a fee of €55 million (£48.7 million) plus €12 million (£10.6 million) in add-ons to sign Alexandre Lacazette this summer."
Using Giroud as a makeweight could help lower the fee, though, according to Le10 Sport (h/t Metro): "While Arsenal are open to Giroud's leaving, the player himself may not be keen on a move back to France."
Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger appears to be on the lookout for a new centre-forward. The Gunners scored 77 goals in England's top flight last season, but the striker role was something of a carousel, with Giroud, Alexis Sanchez, Danny Welbeck, Theo Walcott and Lucas Perez all playing there during the 2016/17 campaign.
Arsenal want continuity and consistency through the middle, things Lacazette has provided at Lyon. He scored 37 times in all competitions last term, per WhoScored.com.
Lacazette also possesses the pace and perceptive, varied range of movement Wenger's brand of free-flowing football demands from the man leading the forward line.
Talks Continuing Over Goalkeeper Sale
Arsenal's bid to sell backup goalkeeper David Ospina to Fenerbahce has reportedly hit a snag, with the Turkish club favouring a loan move, while the Gunners would prefer a permanent transfer.
Even so, talks are still ongoing, per Eren Sarigul of ESPN FC:
"Sources said that while negotiations are at an advanced stage, no agreement has yet been reached, with Fenerbahce wanting a loan deal and Arsenal keen on selling the Colombia international. Fenerbahce's talks with Ospina himself have gone smoothly, and the goalkeeper is happy to make the move."
According to Sarigul, these latest developments contradict an earlier report from Turkish source Fanatik that detailed how a €3.5 million deal to send Ospina to Fenerbahce is in place.
Selling Ospina would represent a risk for the Gunners since the 28-year-old Colombia international has been an able deputy in recent seasons. Wenger has such faith in Ospina he named the former OGC Nice No. 1 as his starter for the FA Cup final win over Chelsea ahead of an in-form Petr Cech.
The Arsenal manager tends to favour rotating his goalkeepers, particularly for cup competitions. Expect the trend to continue next season when the Gunners compete in the UEFA Europa League.
Parting company with Ospina would increase the pressure on Arsenal to retain Wojciech Szczesny. His successful loan spell with Serie A side AS Roma has ended, but he's become a target for Juventus.
The Bianconeri have even agreed personal terms with the Polish 'keeper, per Italian source Tuttosport (h/t Joel Watson of the Daily Star). Szczesny is younger than Ospina and possesses more natural talent, but his decision-making can be rash, and he's never shown true consistency between the sticks.
Ospina, for his faults, is at least a deputy Wenger trusts. Arsenal would be wise to keep the South American around a little longer.
Similarly, the Gunners should also play it smart in their search for a new striker. Lacazette fits the bill, but Lyon's asking price may be prohibitive.
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