Arsenal are set to miss out on Alexandre Lacazette as he is expected to join Atletico Madrid in the summer.
According to John Cross of the Daily Mirror, Lyon forward Alexandre Lacazette is set to snub an offer from Arsenal to join La Liga giants Atletico Madrid. The Frenchman has been linked with an exit for a number of seasons, and now appears destined to leave.
Arsenal have been looking to add to their attacking options since last summer as their number one option Olivier Giroud is failing to live up to the expectations of manager Arsene Wenger, and has been restricted to a bench role this season.
Wenger decided to field Alexis Sanchez as a striker this season, and it has paid huge dividends. The Chilean topped the scoring charts initially, but his impact diminished come the turn of the year, and so did Arsenal’s fortunes.
However, Sanchez has burst into life in the past few weeks as Arsenal are doing all they can to break into the top four. They still remain a point behind Liverpool going into the final day of the season. The Reds have a home game against relegated Middlesbrough, and are expected to pick up three points and secure a Champions League berth.
Due to his team’s lack of ambition and silverware, Sanchez has been linked with a move away from the club and often appears frustrated on the field of play. Wenger was eyeing Lacazette as an option to replace Sanchez, but it appears that he has missed out on yet another target.
With 34 goals in 43 games this season, there is little surprise that Lacazette’s one of Europe’s hottest commodities at the moment. He will strengthen almost all Premier League sides and could have been a vital addition to the roster at the Emirates.
The Frenchman has gone on to become one of Lyon’s key figures, but the club are prepared for life without him. Lyon chairman Jean-Michel Aulas has gone on record (via Sky Sports) to state that the player will be allowed to leave for his “dream club” should they meet his asking price.
It appears that the player’s dream club is indeed Atletico, and the wheels are in motion for him to complete a move to the capital outfit in the summer. He will be joining up with the likes of Kevin Gameiro and Fernando Torres to bolster Los Rojiblancos’ attack.
Lacazette’s impending arrival at Atletico could be good news for Manchester United and their fans. The Frenchman is unlikely to settle for a role on the bench, meaning that Antoine Griezmann could complete his much rumoured switch to United.
