West Ham United have reportedly joined the race to sign Arsenal forward Alexandre Lacazette and are considering a cheeky January bid to land the Frenchman to the London Stadium.
According to 90min, West Ham United have registered their interest in a January move for Arsenal striker Alexandre Lacazette, and he may be tempted to stay in London.
The report adds that discussions between the Arsenal board and the player’s representatives have already taken place, but still no contract extension has been offered yet, which means that the negotiation have stalled. Furthermore, neither the club nor the player’s side looks willing to find an agreement that would inevitably result in parting ways soon.
The departure may happen as early as in the upcoming January transfer window when Arsenal will still be able to fetch a modest amount for their asset, but a summer exit on a Bosman is the likely possibility as it would provide the player with multiple choices and ultimate bargaining power.
Lacazette will be eligible to sign a pre-contract agreement with a foreign club as soon as he enters the last six months of his contract expiring in January, and it’s believed that the 30-year-old has no shortage of admirers with interest from multiple clubs across the continent.
Lacazette, though, is open to staying in London, with West Ham and Crystal Palace surfacing as probable destinations. Apart from Premier League, other top European clubs such as Atletico Madrid, Barcelona, and Juventus are also considered potential suitors, while a romantic move back to his homeland with Lyon is also not off the table either.
Lacazette has been a solid supplier of goals at the Emirates since arriving at the club from Lyon back in 2017 for a then club-record £46.5 million transfer fee. The 30-year-old has amassed 173 appearances for the Gunners, in which he has netted 67 goals while assisting a further 29. He was Arsenal’s leading scorer last term but has struggled to find apt playing time and is yet to start a league game.
Mikel Arteta has undertaken a massive rebuild project at Arsenal, with the focus on recruiting young while moving the old ones out to bring down the average age of the squad. Lacazette comes on the wrong side of the age spectrum. It seems so that the Arsenal hierarchy would be happy to let go of Lacazette for a cut-price deal in January.
West Ham, meanwhile, will look to take the benefit of the situation. The Hammers are missing a quality competition and back-up to Michail Antonio. Lacazette would represent an excellent addition to David Moyes’ uprising squad. His hold-up play and the way he combines with on-rushing attackers make him an ideal foil for Antonio at the London Stadium.
He possesses decent ball control, is extremely potent in and around the penalty box, and is adept at manoeuvring his way out of tight areas. The Frenchman’s wages will certainly be a problem in the makings of any deal. What remains to be seen is if the Hammers can persuade Lacazzete to make a cross-London switch in the upcoming January window.
