Quite a few teams in Europe are in need of a new striker at their club and it seems Arsenal are no different.

Spanish frontman Lucas Perez didn’t get much game time last term and looks to be on his way out. Oliver Giroud and Danny Welbeck are good but they aren’t prolific. Theo Walcott still looks more dangerous on the right-wing and still struggles to go a full campaign  without breaking down. While the future of Alexis Sanchez at the club is still precarious.

Recent reports suggest Manchester City could offer the Gunners a straight swap deal involving Sanchez and Argentine hotshot Sergio Aguero. While I’d imagine that move could tempt Arsene Wenger, I really don’t think City will actually make the offer in the first place.

Other prolific strikers have been mentioned in regards to transfers this summer have included Romelu Lukaku, Diego Costa, Alvaro Morata and Robert Lewandowski. Everyone and their auntie has been linked with AS Monaco whizz-kid Kylian Mbappé but for my money he’ll join Real Madrid next summer.

These are all great hitmen in their own right but seem to be out of Arsenal’s reach this summer.

The main target for Wenger seems to be Olympique Lyonnais forward Alexandre Lacazette.  

Lacazette could prove to be an inspired choice.

It seemed the Frenchman was on course to join Atletico Madrid during this window but the La Liga side’s transfer ban seems to have scuppered that potential move. I doubt Alexandre will want to stay at Lyon any longer as he seems desperate for a new challenge and to prove himself elsewhere. Plus Atletico’s interest seems to have cooled now Diego Costa is on the market.

Ok so why do I think Lacazette is worth chasing?

Well as I’ve said the man himself is eager to leave France and prove himself elsewhere. I think people sometimes see a player staying at a club like Lyon for a few years and think he’s not ambitious enough. But I believe that it can be smart for a player to have continuity during their early years as it allows them to hone their skills and allows them to develop.

At twenty-six Alexandre is now of an age to truly prove himself at one of Europe’s top clubs, he should be heading for his peak scoring years!

In the last three seasons Lacazette has scored more than twenty Ligue 1 goals in each of these campaigns. He’s also bagged ten goals in twenty-two European games in that time.

The only player with a better conversation rate over that same period in France was Zlatan Ibrahimovic and the Swede showed at Man Utd last term that he was more than capable in the Premier League. So don’t subscribe to the belief that Ligue 1 is a poor league, they develop plenty of world class stars.

Lacazette is a confident finisher, who’s smart inside the area and fast enough to get away from his markers. The forward can also run into the channels and link up well wth those in and around him.

Arsenal need to act now, get the best players available to them and build again.

Dealing with Lyon is never easy, owner Jean-Michel Aulas always demands top dollar but Arsenal can’t afford to watch another transfer window go by without speculating to get back into the top four and more importantly challenge for the the Premier League title.

Alexandre Lacazette has the potential to get a vast amount of goals for the Gunners and add more excitement in the Emirate stadium stands!

Posted on June 29th, 2017 by scott
Filed under: Article