Atletico Madrid are reportedly planning to make a move for Arsenal striker Alexandre Lacazette in the summer if they fail to sign PSG’s Edinson Cavani.
According to a report from Spanish publication Marca, La Liga giants Atletico Madrid are looking at the possibility of signing Arsenal superstar Alexandre Lacazette in the summer window, should their attempt to land Edinson Cavani fail. They are hoping to use Arsenal’s interest in Thomas Lemar to persuade them to sell the former Lyon man.
Lacazette joined Arsenal from Lyon in 2017 and has grown into a reliable source of goals for the club, having netted 42 times in 107 appearances. The Frenchman hasn’t been at his best this term, having scored just six goals in 19 games, but remains a valuable member of the North Londoners’ setup.
However, Atletico are plotting a summer swoop for the 28-year-old in case their pursuit of Edinson Cavani fails to see the light of the day. The Rojiblancos have been chasing Cavani’s signature for a while now, and widespread reports had claimed that they had reached a pre-contract agreement with the Uruguayan, whose contract with PSG expires at the end of the season.
However, there has been a surge of interest in Cavani’s services from the likes of Chelsea, Manchester United and a number of other clubs. This development has prompted Atletico to put in a Plan B in place should they fail to sign PSG’s all-time highest goalscorer, with Lacazette emerging as their primary target.
Lacazette had been on Atletico’s radar before he signed for Arsenal and they will once again look to move for the Frenchman in the summer, by using the Gunners’ interest in Thomas Lemar as a bait.
It is no secret that Arsenal admire Lemar and tried to sign him before his move to Spain in 2018. The Frenchman has struggled to adapt at the Wanda Metropolitano, following which Atletico are considering cutting their losses on the winger by offloading him.
This is understood to have piqued the interest of Arsenal, with manager Mikel Arteta eyeing attacking reinforcements. And Atletico are hoping to use this to their advantage as they seek to sign Lacazette at the end of the season.
Lacazette, who is contracted to Arsenal till 2022, is seen as an important member within the club. However, their interest in Lemar is also quite serious and a chance to land him might force their hand into allowing their star man to move the other way. It will be very interesting to be see how this story develops in the coming months.
