According to latest reports, Manchester City are the newest candidates to join the race for AS Lyon’s star forward Alexandre Lacazette. Despite spending millions in the transfer market last summer, new manager Pep Guardiola has found it difficult to cope with Premier league’s pace in his debut season, and choosing the perfect striker to keep the scoresheet ticking has been a challenge for him.
New recruit Gabriel Jesus took the mantle from Sergio Aguero for some time but a serious leg injury has forced him to sit out for three months now. Guardiola has fallen back to Aguero, who looks in fine form at the moment; but repeated links of the Argentine star with a move to Santiago Bernabeu hasn’t made things any easier for the manager.
And a move for Lacazette looks only obvious under such dubious circumstances. The 25-year-old decided to stay with the club last summer despite having numerous offers on the table, but both the club and the player has now hinted that a move is on the cards.
The Ligue 1 giants’ chief was quoted in the French press as saying that he expected “very significant sales before June 30”. Stating that the club would have to encash on the talents it has cultivated over the years, he said, “… As we have a squad valued at more than €170m, there will come a time when we have to cash in on that capital… as I did with Karim Benzema and Samuel Umtiti, if a player wants to leave and the offer is acceptable, we won’t stand in the way.”
However, things won’t be easy for City in their pursuit of the striker as clubs like Arsenal, Atletico Madrid and Borussia Dortmund are all interested in the Lyon striker. The 25-year-old has scored a whopping 22 goals in 23 appearances and registered two assists. A prolific striker like him, who excels in chasing defenders and possesses exquisite finishing ability can get a chance in any starting line-up
Premier League clubs, Arsenal and West Ham were among clubs chasing the France international’s signature for a long time now but the lack of European competition has thrown the Hammers out of the race for him with only Arsenal remaining. And increasing fears of Arsenal star Alexis Sanchez leaving the club at the end of the season means that the North London club will go all guns blazing for his signature.
A player of his calibre won’t come in cheap for sure as Lyon is reportedly seeking around £60m. With Real’s transfer ban lifted, the Spanish giants are likely to make an astronomical bid for Aguero coming summer and with lheanacho and Jesus, as the only options left, City could do decently with Lacazette.
