Barcelona are reportedly weighing up the prospect of signing Arsenal striker Alexandre Lacazette on a free transfer in the summer.
According to a report by Spanish outlet Fichajes, Alexandre Lacazette is the subject of interest from Barcelona over a possible Bosman move in the summer transfer window. The veteran French striker will likely leave Arsenal as a free agent at the end of the season.
Alexandre Lacazette joined Arsenal from Lyon in July 2017 and has since been a dependable performer for the club for the most part. While he has not been prolific in the last few years, the 30-year-old has made a mark as an all-rounder, with his hold-up play being his major asset.
The French international has amassed 70 goals and 32 assists in 189 appearances for Arsenal to date. He is effectively the club captain following the decision to strip Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang of the role. But the Gunners are in a spot of bother over his long-term future, with Lacazette in the final year of his contract. This has captured the attention of Barcelona.
Lacazette might only be a short-term solution for Barcelona, but they need an immediate solution to their goalscoring woes in the wake of Sergio Aguero’s forced decision to call time on his career. Recent reports have even claimed that Barcelona could launch a January move for the Arsenal forward, but a summer approach is likelier.
Cedric Bakambu could be the solution in the ongoing transfer window, with Barcelona’s pursuit of Alvaro Morata coming to a grinding halt. As for the interest in Lacazette, the Arsenal striker is a viable target for Barcelona, with his mobility and hold-up ability aligning with the qualities of Ansu Fati and Ferran Torres.
Apart from Lacazette, Barcelona’s short-list of potential free agents to target includes Chelsea skipper Cesar Azpilicueta and Noussair Mazraoui. Both defenders are reportedly keen on joining Barcelona, although it is unclear whether Lacazette has a similar stance.
For now, the Arsenal striker has emerged as a viable target for Barcelona, but the Gunners are eager to tie him down to a new contract. In case they fail to secure Lacazette’s long-term future, Arsenal will have an expansive list of prolific centre-forwards to target, with Dusan Vlahovic among those on their radar.
