Atletico Madrid are reportedly interested in Alexandre Lacazette as Arsenal remain open to offers for the French striker.
According to El Gol Digital, Arsenal striker Alexandre Lacazette is interesting Atletico Madrid, with Diego Simeone aiming to sign the striker for next season. The Spanish giants are also willing to meet his asking price of a reported £15 million to complete a transfer.
Lacazette was signed by Arsene Wenger back in 2017 after his move to Atletico Madrid failed as UEFA sanctioned a transfer ban for the Rojiblancos. The former Lyon man has been a consistent performer for the Premier League outfit, scoring at least 10-goals in each of his four seasons at the Emirates.
The striker is revered for his all-around performances and rarely has a bad game. These are qualities appreciated by Diego Simeone at Atletico Madrid, the very reason why they were so keen to sign him in 2017. Fast forward to 2021, and Lacazette is available for transfer again as Arsenal are willing to ship him out to raise funds.
The Gunners are searching for a new striker after being heavily linked with Tammy Abraham and very recently with Lautaro Martinez of Inter Milan. Both those players will fetch huge transfer fees, and Arsenal, having splashed £50 million on Ben White, might have a shortage of funds.
The Gunners are expected to sign either of those targets and hope to sell their unwanted players to raise funds. Lacazette’s importance in the side has never been in question, as Mikel Arteta is prepared to play him through the last year of his contract. However, Arsenal are open to selling him for £15 million if an offer arrives.
So far, there has been no interest, but Atletico Madrid are reportedly keen again on the striker. Diego Simeone wants to improve his squad after winning the La Liga title last season. That campaign, showed that Luis Suarez, who was burdened with scoring all the goals, needs a partner like Lacazette to share responsibilities.
Moreover, Lacazette offers so much more than just goals. His overall playing style usually helps the team defensively while also bringing other players into the game. The Arsenal forward has long been regarded as the ideal striker for Simeone’s system and will certainly do well in Madrid.
Atletico Madrid might be prepared to pay Arsenal’s £15 million asking price to sign Lacazette. The Rojiblancos were initially keen on re-signing Antoine Griezmann from Barcelona, with Saul Niguez reportedly going the other way. That deal has hit a snag, and Lacazette is the fallback option for Simeone.
Although his departure will leave a huge void for Arsenal to fill, the striker might be tempted to join Atletico. The Gunners will likely use the funds from Lacazette’s sale and other fringe players to finance a move for one of Tammy Abraham or Lautaro Martinez.
