Lyon president Jean-Michel Aulas has confirmed there is concrete interest in bringing Alexandre Lacazette back to the club this summer.
The 30-year-old will see his present contract at Arsenal expire at the end of the season, opening up the possibility of a return to Ligue 1.
Mikel Arteta faces the daunting prospect of being striker-less this summer, with Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang already ousted to Barcelona, and back-up forward Eddie Nketiah also in the final few months of his present deal.
How to Bet £10, Get £20 with Live Score:
- Join LiveScore Bet (here’s the link)
- Deposit and place a £10 bet
- Get two free bets*
*New members. £10 min deposit & bet on sportsbook, placed & settled at 1.5 min odds within 14 days of sign-up. Win part of E/W bets. 2 non-withdrawable £10 Free Bet Tokens: accept in 7 days, valid for 7 days from crediting (ex. E/Ws & Multiples), stakes not returned. Click here for Rules & Exclusions. Bet Responsibly. GambleAware.org
Given the uncertainty, clubs are now thought to be circling the Emirates, one of whom, Lyon, have now revealed their hand by going on record to express a tangible interest in luring Lacazette back to France.
The Lyon-born sharpshooter hailed from the club’s academy and went on to make just south of 300 appearances for them before the Gunners came knocking in 2017, securing his signature for around £46.5m.
In the years since completing a move to Arsenal, Lacazette has struggled to hit the goalscoring heights of his Ligue 1 days, with 14 Premier League goals in his maiden campaign still his best return for the club — he hit 28, 21 and 27 in the three seasons prior to moving to London for Lyon.
So, with the summer months fast approaching, Lyon president Aulas has now heightened speculation and cast further doubt on Lacazette’s Arsenal future by revealing an interest in reuniting with his once prized asset.
Speaking at Tanguy Ndombele’s unveiling, Aulas said: “It’s Lacazette, he interests us because he marked this club.
“It’s a profile that interests us and we have always been in contact with him.
“This is part of the guiding ideas brought by (new sporting director) Bruno Cheyrou. In our context, yes he (Lacazette) is more accessible than Benzema.
“We have to try to see if we can do it as a free player but we will not be alone.”