Arsenal Boss To Hold Talks With Agent Of £45m Striker This Week

The opening of the summer transfer window is fast approaching so we’ll bring you all the latest transfer rumours and gossip from around the globe. Today, Arsenal are linked with Alexandre Lacazette….

Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger is due to hold talks with the agent of Alexandre Lacazette in France this week ahead of a potential swoop for the £45m-rated Lyon striker, according to the Mirror.

Wenger is in the market for a new front-man this summer after Danny Welbeck was ruled out for nine months with a serious knee injury while Theo Walcott’s future at the club is in doubt after he lost his first team place last season.

Jamie Vardy was reportedly our number one target but the boss has had to look at alternatives after the England international decided to snub a proposed switch to North London after agreeing to sign a new four-year contract extension with Leicester City.

It looks as though Wenger has cast his eye across the channel as the Mirror claim that the Arsenal supremo has turned his attention to signing Lyon hitman Alexandre Lacazette and will meet the 25-year-old’s agent in France this week to discuss a potential switch to the Emirates.

Lacazette has just come off the back of another impressive campaign that saw him score 23 goals in 43 games to help Lyon finish runners up to Paris Saint-Germain in the Ligue 1 table to secure qualification to the Champions League.

However, we aren’t the only club on the chase as the Mirror claim that Atletico Madrid are showing a keen interest while West Ham have already seen a £42m bid rejected as they look to bring in a marquee name ahead of their move to the Olympic Stadium next season.

Arsenal should be confident of seeing-off the challenge of West Ham if Lacazette opts for a move to England but Wenger has to be prepared to dig deep as the report states that Lyon are under no pressure to sell as the striker still has three years left to run on his contract and are demanding £45m for his signature this summer.

It remains to be seen whether Arsenal will be prepared to pay that kind of money but I’d personally be surprised as while Lacazette has had a couple of excellent seasons in Ligue 1, he isn’t an elite level striker just yet.

Fans are calling for an upgrade on Olivier Giroud but Lacazette can’t even get in the France squad for Euro 2016 while Giroud is currently Didier Deschamps first choice striker, so I find it difficult to believe the boss will break our transfer record to sign the Lyon hitman.

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The lack of top class strikers available in the market could persuade Wenger to push the boat out for Lacazette, as he does have the potential to become a world beater, but I’d personally be surprised if anything happens if Lyon stick with their reported £45m asking price.