Arsenal striker Alexandre Lacazette has reportedly rejected a lucrative three-and-a-half year deal worth €8 million per season to join Newcastle United.
According to Tutto Mercato Web, Newcastle United have been knocked back in their attempts to sign Arsenal striker Alexandre Lacazette over their perilous position in the Premier League table. The Frenchman is out of contract at the end of the season, and his contract situation at the north London club has caught the eye of the Magpies.
The Toon recently approached the 30-year-old through intermediaries and tabled a tempting proposal to move to St. James’ Park. The former Lyon striker received an astounding three-and-a-half-year contract worth up to €8 million each season. However, the Frenchman has declined the offer, as he is not sold on Newcastle’s project and is not keen on the idea of joining a relegation battle.
The 30-year-old forward had been in the sights of the Magpies as they look to stave off relegation in the latter half of the season, but the club’s unstable position is what caused Lacazette to turn the deal down. Eddie Howe’s side is 19th in the table with 12 points after 20 games, winning only once all season while being two points adrift of safety with teams around them having games in hand.
It is a further blow for new owners and Newcastle manager Eddie Howe in their bid to stay up. The club is currently hustling to bring in new players through the door before the January window slams shut. So far, Chris Wood and Kieran Trippier have arrived at St James’ Park, but aside from that, Newcastle keep encountering frustration in the market.
Newcastle have already been rebuffed in their approach to sign Manchester United outcast Donny van de Beek on a short-term loan deal until the end of the season, and it seems they have been handed another blow, with reports claiming that Arsenal striker Alexandre Lacazette has rejected a move to North East.
The 30-year-old joined the Gunners from Lyon in 2017 and has been a reliable presence up top with his hold-up play and attacking output, recording 70 goals and 32 assists in 190 appearances across all competition for the club. However, he has generally fallen short of expectations during his tenure at the Emirates. Now 30, he is not in Mikel Arteta’s long-term plans at Arsenal and has yet to pen fresh terms.
COVID-19 and injuries disrupted Lacazette’s start to the ongoing campaign, but he has since regained his stride to become a regular feature in Arteta’s starting eleven. So far, the Frenchman has made 20 appearances for Arsenal, registering five goals and four assists to his name. The former Lyon hitman is in a fine run of form of late and has bagged two goals and three assists in his last five league games.
With Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang out of favour for the foreseeable future and at the Africa Cup of Nations, Arsenal are reluctant to lose Lacazette in the January window despite his contract winding down. He has no shortage of suitors, with AC Milan, Marseille, Atletico Madrid and Barcelona all interested in signing him. This paves the way for the player to leave Arsenal on a Bosman next summer if he keeps stalling a new deal with the club.
