Arsenal Must Make Lyon Go ‘Crazy’ Over Alexandre Lacazette

Lyon President has stated they are willing to go ‘crazy’ to keep Alexandre Lacazette. Such is the Frenchman’s quality, Arsenal should make them so.

Arsene Wenger’s hunt for a striker began last summer. Realising that Olivier Giroud, while a good player with a certain set of skills that, if played to properly, can bring success to a team, is a little short of the quality needed to fire Arsenal to a Premier League title, Wenger began scouring the football world for his new leading man.

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His search started with a failed £20 million bid for Jamie Vardy, activating a release clause in the Leicester City striker’s contract, with Vardy rejecting his advances amid stylistic concerns. He then had a £29 million bid turned down for Alexandre Lacazette and, while linked with possible moves for Alvaro Morata, Gonzalo Higuain and Karim Benzema, ultimately settled for Lucas Perez late in the day.

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And although Perez has looked sharp on a number of occasions this season, he has been unable to earn the trust of Wenger, subsequently growing frustrated with his lack of opportunities. As such, the need for a striker remains. But perhaps the solution could come, not from the future, but the past.

Lacazette has been heavily linked with a departure from Lyon, with him himself publicly declaring an interest in a move away if it were to a club that would further his career, and Wenger has clearly shown a fancy to him with his failed bid last summer. Lyon, though, are not going to allow their leading striker to leave without a fight, with their club president, Jean-Michel Aulas, stating that they will do ‘crazy’ things to keep him:

"“We’re ready to go a bit crazy and do things we’ve never done to keep Alexandre Lacazette. The club is good, the club has invested in all the structures that will allow it to get back among Europe’s top 10 clubs. Of course, we’ll have to listen to Alexandre, because he’s a man and a great player.”"

And Arsenal need to make Lyon go crazy. Lacazette has now scored 30 goals in all competitions this season, and boasts the pace and the mobility to compliment the interchangeable, fluid attacking moves that Wenger so strongly encourages. He is a ruthless finisher, a consistent goalscorer and a threatening striker who would excel in the Premier League.

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He may well command a rather significant fee to prize him away from Lyon which could deter Wenger. But given his quality, he would be a wise addition to a squad crying out for a pacy goalscorer.