Arsenal prepped for £13m Alexandre Lacazette transfer bid

Arsenal's Spanish manager Mikel Arteta (L) briefs Arsenal's French striker Alexandre Lacazette during the English Premier League football match between Burnley and Arsenal at Turf Moor in Burnley, north west England on March 6, 2021. (Photo by PETER POWELL / POOL / AFP) / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or 'live' services. Online in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No video emulation. Social media in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No use in betting publications, games or single club/league/player publications. / (Photo by PETER POWELL/POOL/AFP via Getty Images)
Arsenal's Spanish manager Mikel Arteta (L) briefs Arsenal's French striker Alexandre Lacazette during the English Premier League football match between Burnley and Arsenal at Turf Moor in Burnley, north west England on March 6, 2021. (Photo by PETER POWELL / POOL / AFP) / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or 'live' services. Online in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No video emulation. Social media in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No use in betting publications, games or single club/league/player publications. / (Photo by PETER POWELL/POOL/AFP via Getty Images) /
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Arsenal, Alexandre Lacazette
EDINBURGH, SCOTLAND – JULY 13: Alexandre Lacazette of Arsenal during the Pre-Season Friendly between Hibernian and Arsenal at Easter Road on July 13, 2021 in Edinburgh, Scotland. (Photo by Matthew Ashton – AMA/Getty Images) /

Arsenal Can’t Expect More Than £13m for Alexandre Lacazette

Sadly, £13m isn’t far off what Arsenal might have to give in to.

It feels wrong to be considering such a measly amount to be enough to sign a centre-forward of Lacazette’s calibre. It also feels wrong for Arsenal to be commanding much more.

Ideally, depressed market and shattered club finances aside, that number goes up. Realistically, however, it won’t.

Now 30 years old and with 12 months left to run on his deal, any interested party could hold out until January, get him to sign a pre-contract agreement and then sign him up for no up front cost.

This is a situation Arsenal have dug themselves into by allowing another expensive asset to run down a contract without any clear plan or structure in place. With it being the case that they want to sell Lacazette this summer, there is nobody else to blame for having severe difficulties trying to flog him and his £180k-per-week wages.

It’s a huge investment for any side facing financial uncertainty. And while Arsenal could never have foreseen how damaging the coronavirus pandemic would be, it’s simple squad building they’ve failed to manage.

The question facing them now is, if an offer of £13m came in would it be better to hold on to Lacazette until the end of his deal or accept that and then be faced with having to buy a replacement? Tammy Abraham is the man in Arteta’s mind.

Chambers or Cedric?. dark. Next

In every scenario, Lacazette should be sold.