Interested clubs, including Arsenal, must shell out around £28 million if they want to land Lyon striker Alexandre Lacazette this month.
Having seen Wilfried Bony move to Manchester City from Swansea for around £28 million already this month, Lyon manager Hubert Fournier believes the 22-year-old would demand a similar fee, despite also claiming the striker is happy at the French club.
The Gunners, along with City and Liverpool, have all been linked with a move for the in-demand striker and the Ligue 1 side are preparing themselves for a transfer tussle in the upcoming days.
Fournier was quoted in the Daily Star saying:
‘He is one of the best strikers in Europe and he does have a price. Especially when you see the amount Manchester City paid to secure the services of Bony.’
Lacazette, who still has two-and-a-half years left to run on his current deal, has been in scintillating form for Lyon this season, scoring 21 goals in 22 games in all competitions so far (19 in 20 Ligue 1 outings).
Arsene Wenger has reportedly spoke to the Arsenal board about bringing in two new players before the transfer window shuts, and has been tipped to sign a defender and defensive midfielder.
However, having sent out both Lukas Podolski and Yaya Sanogo on loan to Inter Milan and Crystal Palace respectively, Wenger may decide to add to his front-line and appears to see Lacazette as an ideal signing.
It remains to be seen whether Wenger would be willing to splash out £28 million though, and with a defender and holding midfielder presumably on his agenda this month, it leaves City as frontrunners for Lacazette’s signature.
At last the gunners play with their head and not their arse.