Another transfer window, another top-class forward you can cross out on your list of Arsenal targets…
That’s because Alexandre Lacazette is preparing to move to Atletico Madrid this summer, after making his plans for the future very public.
The 25-year-old confirmed in an interview with L’Equipe that he will be leaving Lyon in the next few months, a club that he has been with since his academy days.
But even though Arsenal have been long-term admirers of the centre forward, who’s bagged 20+ goals in three consecutive seasons, it looks as if his mind is made up.
Asked whether he was thinking of a move to the Champions League semi-finalists, Lacazette found it difficult to rule them out, with many local reports suggesting the deal is already done.
I think that’s (this summer) the right moment to leave. I want to discover something else, to put myself in danger and to get to the next level.
I want to see if I can answer the questions that people are asking, and to make further progress.
It’s a great team (Atletico) in a new stadium, and it is also a club that makes the players progress. And there is Antoinne Griezmann.
So Lacazette hasn’t covered all the cracks to this story but it certainly looks as if he’s wanting to find a club that will push him to the limit.
Playing alongside his French teammate in Griezmann will be a great way to learn, and he’ll have to compete day in, day out to get a regular position in the team.
Whilst he hasn’t ruled out a move to the Gunners, the lack of Champions League is a major turn-off to a player that wants to look for new experiences.
This could all rest on whether or not Atletico have their transfer ban lifted, as the La Liga club are currently waiting to hear back from the courts!
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