Olympique Lyonnais’s manager Hubert Fournier has slammed a A?35-42 million price tag on star striker Alexandre Lacazette.
Lacazette enjoyed his most prolific season at the Stade de Gerland, scoring 31 goals in 38 games only, and has been heavily linked since the end of the season to a move to the Premier League, with giants Arsenal FC, Liverpool FC and Manchester United all believed to be interested in signing the 24-year-old striker.
The Frenchman has three years left on his contract with last year’s League 1 runners-up, Lyon, but has not agreed to put pen to paper on a new deal offered by club president Jean-Michel Aulas.
Hubert Fournier: “I’m not worried about Alexandre.”
Fournier while speaking to French newspaper L’Equipe, was confident regarding the future of Lacazette, who he believes will stay with last year’s runners-up as they set to challenge PSG for the title, this season. Although, he did express his concern, if a bid is tabled near the asking price of the French striker.
The French Manager said: “I’m not worried about Alexandre.
“Of course, if a a 50-60m (A?35-42m) bid was tabled, I will no doubt have to prepare for his exit and wish him good luck, but I really feel like he wants to stay.”
Lacazette last weekend created a lot of excitement amongst Arsenal faithful, after he favourited a tweet, which was linking him with a move to the Gunners.
Lacazette the answer to the Gunners striker crisis?
The fast and pacy striker, who started out as a winger for Lyon, could potentially be the answer to the Gunners’ striker crisis. Olivier Giroud for all his hold-up play, is never that potent with his finishing, while he also doesn’t have the pace to burn and run behind defenders, latching on to delicious Mesut Ozil through balls. Lacazette would be perfect in this sense, with his pace being put to good effect in front of a very creative Arsenal mid-field.
Danny Welbeck is another possible candidate for the striker spot, with his fast acceleration and pace, but in his first season the former Manchester United striker has not impressed enough to earn the lone striking role, with his finishing leaving a lot to be desired. Lacazette is a Frenchman too, and we all know about Arsene’s love for French players. However, with Chuba Akpom’s blistering hat-trick . against Singapore Select XI, you never know!
This transfer saga might go down to the wire, while whoever lands the talented striker, would have a very good deal on their hands, considering his relatively young age and relatively low price-tag.