Arsenal have been given an asking price for Lyon striker Alexandre Lacazette. The Gunners see Lacazette as their no.1 striking priority this summer and hoped to prise the Frenchman away from Lyon with a £44m bid. However, Lyon’s CEO Jean-Michel Aulas has told Arsenal that they value the striker at a much higher price.

Aulas has told Arsenal that they will need to match Atletico Madrid’s offer for the 26-year-old. The La Liga side had agreed a deal for Lacazette before being given a transfer ban – meaning that the transfer fell through. Atletico were thought to have agreed a fee of €65m for the striker, and Lyon have insisted that Arsenal must make the same offer if they are to secure their man.

“I don’t have the intention to sell Alexandre quickly because there is still the will of Atletico Madrid to return on January 1. Now, I will listen also to what Alexandre says,” Aulas told L’Equipe.

“I saw Arsene (Wenger) during the France-England game (June 13). I was with Gerard Houllier (the former Liverpool boss is an advisor to Aulas) and I seemed to understand that he said to Gerard that there could be interest from Arsenal. But it is premature to say that that things will happen. We need to get in a big transfer first. We cannot let a player of this quality leave without a replacement.”

When asked about the potential fee for Lacazette being €50-60million, Aulas responded: “It will have to be at least that. Everyone knows that Atletico’s offer was €53million plus €12m in bonuses. That makes €65million (£57m). As the Arsenal directors well know, it will be in that range.”

“The price for a player who scores 25-30 goals every year – sometimes more than 30 – is at least that.”

“But frankly, I haven’t yet thought about Arsenal for now because I thought that Alexandre was going to stay because the deal with Atletico fell through.”
[Quotes via the Mirror]

Arsenal have been crying out for a goalscoring striker over the last 5 seasons. Lacazette is a proven goalscorer and highly in demand, therefore it would be smart of Wenger to wrap up a deal as soon as possible!