Arsenal: Is Alexandre Lacazette slighted by Kylian Mbappe presence?

Alexandre Lacazette is not receiving the celebratory reaction from Arsenal fans his reputation deserves. Is he being slighted by the presence of Kylian Mbappe rumours?

Arsene Wenger is a notoriously tight-fisted manager. That is not to say that he is stingy with his money and his spending. When the right player comes around, he has shown a willingness to spend – Mesut Ozil, Alexis Sanchez, Granit Xhaka, Shkodran Mustafi. It does, though, mean that he is extremely frugal and considered. He is hesitant, reluctant. That is why Arsenal fans are so excitable when it comes to a reasonable big-name transfer rumour.

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However, this summer, the same excitement has not quite swept the fan base. Perhaps that is because of the growing scepticism that fans hold for Wenger and the club; perhaps it is because of the growing ridiculousness of the reports, that people can no longer allow themselves to believe what is mentioned in the papers.

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For some reason, the growing speculation that Arsenal are inching towards a potential deal for Lyon striker Alexandre Lacazette, with Wenger and the board increasing in confidence per the most recent reports, is not garnering the same attention, furore and celebration as would usually be the case with such a high-profile potential addition. There is almost a sense of let down, disappointment; Lacazette, while good, is not the player that most hoped for.

But taking the French striker in a vacuum, without any of the distractions of the modern world, without the media frenzy that surrounds any possible signing, without the baying fans or the vilifying pundits, is undoubtedly a good signing, one that should be praised and extolled.

And yet, that is not what is happening. Rather than happiness and glee, many are left feeling apathetic and disinterested, unmoved by the addition, neither here nor there on his potential influence.

There is only one reason that I can think of for that being the case: the presence of Kylian Mbappe. Given the narrative of the summer thus far, it feels as though Lacazette was Arsenal’s second choice. If they were given the opportunity, it would have been Mbappe coming to North London.

Wenger has tried hard to convince Mbappe that the Emirates is the perfect destination to further his career, lodging an £87 million offer earlier in the window and allegedly having private conversations with him and his family on a regular basis.

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But it looks unlikely that Mbappe will come. And Lacazette is the alternative. For many, that leaves a bitter taste in the mouth; the thought of ‘what could have been’ is never a nice one. But Lacazette is a very good player, one that will succeed at Arsenal, no matter the underwhelming feeling of the fans.