Arsenal are willing to let Alexandre Lacazette leave the club this summer, with the striker as a surplus to the club’s requirements.
The Frenchman arrived at the Emirates as Gunners’ record signing in 2017 and moved from Lyon for £ 52m. But he has never fully justified that price tag during his four seasons.
Lacazette has been a fairly reliable goal scorer, scoring 65 goals in his 170 Arsenal appearances, but has failed to shine as expected.
Since Mikel Arteta is planning a summer build – up of his squad, the striker has not been offered an extension of his expired contract.
The Sun reports that all fans will be able to sign Lacazette for a fee of just £ 15 million – with the permission of the striker’s deal with the club entering its final year.
Arteta is determined to let the striker go for a fee to raise extra money to go to Chelsea’s Tammy Abraham in this window.
However, 30-year-old Lacazette has significant salary demands. His contract with the Gunners means that he earns £ 175,000 a week and possibly shoots out any suitors.
If the club fails to move the player, Arteta insists he is happy that Lacazette remains in the squad as a back-up for Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang – even if the Gunners would lose the chance to get money back for their striker, who would almost certainly leave for free next summer.
Sead Kolasinac, Eddie Nketiah and Reiss Nelson are other names whose contracts are now in their final years, and all are expected to become free agents after the 2021/22 season.
In terms of revenue, Arteta’s renewal of the squad is steadily moving. The Arsenal boss has so far received 17 million pounds Albert Sambi Lokonga from Anderlecht, 7 million pounds Nuno Tavares from Benfica and is expected to soon complete Ben White from Brighton at 50 million pounds.
The Gunners are also keen to introduce a new goalkeeper in the ranks, with negotiations between the club and Sheffield United over Aaron Ramsdale still ongoing. The Blades have told Arsenal that they are determined to get over 32 million pounds for their number one.
