Arsenal striker Alexandre Lacazette has been linked with a surprise move to Barcelona in January, according to Catalan outlet El Nacional.
The Frenchman has been with the Gunners for the past four-and-a-half seasons, but there is uncertainty over his future with his contract expiring in June 2022.
There has been no progress over a new contract, and the Gunners could be tempted to cash in on his services in January rather than losing him for free next summer.
Lacazette was recently linked with a possible Bosman move to Atletico Madrid, and it is now claimed that Barcelona have entered the race to secure his services.
The Blaugrana have failed to sufficiently replace Lionel Messi and Antonio Griezmann. Sergio Aguero is currently out for the long-term with a heart concern.
Meanwhile, loan signing Luuk de Jong has struggled to impress while Martin Braithwaite is on the sidelines with a knee injury picked up in the back end of September.
Memphis Depay has been the only shining light among arrivals, and the La Liga club are keen to pursue another striker when the transfer window reopens in January.
Blaugrana president Joan Laporta has his sights on Lacazette, and it is claimed that he would be willing to meet a price tag of around £8.5 million to sign the marksman.
Lacazette had a disappointing start to the current campaign with the Gunners. He was often on the bench with Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang being the undisputed striker.
However, he has managed to turn his fortunes around recently. Since his last-gasp equaliser against Crystal Palace, he has been a regular starter alongside Aubameyang.
Despite this, there has been no resolution over his contract situation, and the Gunners could be tempted to sanction his sale in January if they can land a replacement.
With Aubameyang and Nicolas Pepe set to feature in the African Cup of Nations in January, the Gunners may want to stick with Lacazette until the final days of the window.
The Gunners reportedly have an initial agreement to sign Fiorentina’s Dusan Vlahovic, but a deal is far from complete as they need to convince the striker to join them.
The Serbian’s arrival would be a big coup for the north London club. This could pave the way for not only Lacazette’s exit, but also Eddie Nketiah’s as they look to recoup funds.
The Gunners graduate has less than eight months remaining on his contract, and he appears reluctant to put pen-to-paper on a renewal amid his limited playing time.
