According to latest reports, Liverpool have now turned their sights on Ligue 1’s high on-demand striker Alexandre Lacazette this summer as the Reds try to get back into the UEFA Champions League next season. The French forward has continued his prolific form this season after getting increasingly linked with a move to the Premier League last summer, only adding fuel to the fire.
Liverpool had finished eighth last season and manager Jurgen Klopp has done a brilliant job with Roberto Firmino and Sadio Mane up front this season. Liverpool have scored 70 goals so far, which was always a possibility given Klopp’s attacking set-up, but even only for the Premier League, their attacking depth isn’t sufficient.
Liverpool have often found themselves running out of ideas and over-relying on certain players. The absence of Sadio Mane at the beginning of the year could be the best example of that. While Firmino has been brilliant for them so far, Coutinho has been inconsistent after a ravishing start; and Daniel Sturridge has kept his traditional injury-plagued tenure at the club.
There are reports that the English international is nearing a departure from Anfield this summer and Lacazette could be an ideal replacement for the player. The 25-year-old has been in prolific form this season scoring 30 goals in 39 appearances in all competitions so far, for Lyon.
A centre-forward by nature, Lacazette can also be equally devastating from the wings, which pretty much solves Liverpool’s backup crisis for Coutinho and Mane, if they are successful in landing him. Liverpool will be facing a stiff competition from their title rivals Arsenal in getting his signature, though.
The North-London has long been credited as the forerunner of the player and although they are unlikely to make it to the Champions League this season, Arsene Wenger’s reputation has a huge influence on French players. The only weakness in Arsenal has been their frugal-mindedness, but even that seems to change after this devastating season.
Lacazette is rated around £34 million, which Liverpool are ready to splash. And while Premier League remains the top priority for the player, La Liga side Atletico Madrid are also keeping tabs on him as a replacement for Antoine Griezmann as well as Bundesliga side Borussia Dortmund.
A youth product of AS Lyon’s famous academy, Lacazette first broke into the first team in 2009. Since then, the striker has scored 122 goals in 269 goals for the side, earning 10 caps for the national team. His contract with the club ends in 2019 and the club might finally be willing to dispose of him if the right offer comes in.
However, if Liverpool manages to land him (and yes it is a big if), they will definitely turn into serious title contenders almost overnight. With a couple of shrewd signing, Klopp might finally get the team he is looking for to land that big title. Lacazette can very well be the signing that finally breaks Liverpool’s duck (literally in this case).
