Alexandre Lacazette of Lyon is reportedly offered to Arsenal. The young forward is a talented attacker and would provide a different option in attack to Arsene Wenger.
The arrival of Petr Cech has given a new dimension to the Gunners. After many years of settling for second best option, Wenger had a chance to go for one of the best goal keepers and this time he didn’t bat an eyelid. The signing of Cech was not just a statement of intent but also a need for Wenger’s squad.
Will this be the last piece of the jigsaw puzzle that Wenger so desperately wants to turn his side back to a title challenging one? Absolutely not! There still are many weaknesses in this side. Least of all is the striker position.
For some, Olivier Giroud is one of the most under rated strikers in the Premier League. For others, he is not really good enough to lead the line for a title-winning side. Wenger may also attribute to both these theories in equal measure. Because he acknowledges Giroud publicly but at the same time tries other options (read Walcott, Alexis Sanchez, Danny Welbeck).
Arsenal have been in the market long enough for a proven striker. The club was close to signing Luis Suarez when the famous saga of £40 million release clause played between Liverpool and Arsenal. Of course, he ended up at Barcelona.
As Wenger keeps reminding us at every possible opportunity, there aren’t many proven goal scorers at this level. And the ones that are proven are not available. That should explain Wenger’s predicament when it comes to filling the shoes of a striker at the club.
And as usual, before the transfer window opened, strikers from every league were linked to Arsenal. Karim Benzema, Jackson Martinez, Carlos Bacca and now Alexandre Lacazette – all of them were linked in equal measure. Of these, Benzema probably is of the level and stature that Wenger craves. But, getting him could be a difficult proposition.
Lacazette is currently valued at upwards of £21 million after he lit up Ligue 1 season last year. With 31 goals from 40 games, the striker started attracting interest from every club in the continent. He may not be an ideal signing for Wenger but Lacazette would surely provide competition for places.
The striker’s agent David Venditelli has made it clear that his client will be moving to a bigger club this summer. He was quoted as saying: “The offers we’ve had from abroad are very significant in terms of finances,” Venditelli said. “Ultimatums and media pressure won’t change our demands, which OL are aware of.”
Will Wenger splash the cash on Lacazette? As he showed with the purchases of Mesut Ozil and Alexis Sanchez, Wenger is not averse to spending big if the signing is sure to galvanize his squad. Is Lacazette that option? Will he take the club to the next level?