Arsenal kept hold off Alexandre Lacazette despite his contract running down at the end of the season.
The Gunners splashed £52 million to sign Alexandre Lacazette from Lyon back in 2017. And now the Frenchman, 30, looks set to walk away on a free transfer after failing to agree on a contract extension with the north London club.
The 30-year-old striker will become a free agent in June when his contract at the Emirates Stadium expires and it is understood he has already started discussing personal terms with his former club Lyon, as he eyes a move back to his homeland.
Lacazette remains in discussions with several European clubs ahead of deciding his potential next destination, but Lyon remain front-runners for his signature. In fact, Lyon president Jean-Michel Aulas recently confirmed their interest in re-signing the France international, who has three goals in 16 Premier League appearances this season.
With Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang having left the club on a free transfer to join Barcelona in the January transfer window and Mikel Arteta also set to lose Eddie Nketiah on a potential free transfer in the summer, Arsenal must prioritise attacking reinforcements when the transfer window reopens.
That being said, here are three potential replacements for Lacazette the Gunners must consider.
Alexander Isak (Real Sociedad)
Alexander Isak is one of Europe’s most in-demand strikers, having impressed at Real Sociedad since joining from Borussia Dortmund in 2019.
The last two seasons with Real Sociedad yielded 33 goals combined for Isak, 22, who has a €90 million release clause. However, his productivity has dipped this season with just eight goals in 26 appearances to his name.
Nonetheless, the Swede is a hot commodity and there will be intense competition for his signature in the summer, with Chelsea and Manchester United monitoring his situation. With his pace, direct approach and link-up play, Isak fits Arteta’s style of play at Arsenal, who will need to fork out closer the Sweden international’s release clause to sign him.
Jonathan David (Lille)
Jonathan David is one of the top young prospects in Europe and has already been waves with Lille in France. After scoring 13 goals in his debut season with Lille, he has already 16 goals in 30 appearances across all competitions this term, which has caught the eye of many European clubs.
The Canadian international is still only 22 and certainly has a bright future ahead of him. He would be perfect for Arteta, who is building his Arsenal team around young, talented players, rather than ageing campaigners.
Plus, David would also be cheaper than Isak and represent a shrewder investment to replace Lacazette next season.
Mauro Icardi (Paris Saint-Germain)
Mauro Icardi has been linked with a move away from Paris Saint-Germain several times since the high-profile arrival of Lionel Messi last summer. Despite finding limited chances this season, he decided to stay put at Parc des Princes over the January transfer window.
Icardi, 28, is a household name in Europe and had a prolific stint with Inter Milan, where he netted 124 goals in 219 appearances. The Argentinean has never quite been the first choice under Mauricio Pochettino and could be open to leaving PSG at the end of the season.
Arsenal must seize the opportunity and sign Icardi, who at 28 would provide Arteta’s side with a minimum of three-four years of top-level service.
I am Rohan Sengupta from one of the busiest cities in India, Mumbai. A Journalism graduate with a keen interest in sports, football is something I simply cannot live without and writing, discussing and analyzing the game is what I do 24*7.
