One of the biggest news on the transfer front in recent days is the revelation that Arsenal are open to the idea of letting striker Alexander Lacazette. As reported by several reliable news portals, the Gunners are open to an offer for the player this summer thus leading to the question: ‘If this is the right time for the player to move on from Arsenal after three years’.
Lacazette was the record signing when he moved to Arsenal from Lyon at the start of the 2017/18 campaign. The Gunners spent around £46m to secure his signing shortly after his move to Atletico Madrid fell through mainly due to the transfer ban on the part of the Spaniards. His transfer beat the previous record held by German playmaker Mesut Ozil who moved to Arsenal from Real Madrid for £42m in 2013.
The Frenchman held the record for just six months before the club spent £57m to sign Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang from Borussia Dortmund at the start of 2018.
Alexandre Lacazette had a great start to his Arsenal career as he took him just some minutes to get his first goal for the club during the Premier League opener for the 2017/18 campaign, a 4-3 win at home to Leicester City. He was the main striker at Arsenal during that period and even ahead of compatriot Olivier Giroud who was referred to him by manager Didier Deschamps in the French national team setup.
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His position as the main attacker at Arsenal lasted for six months until the arrival of the aforementioned Aubameyang but he was still able to produce his best goal/game at the club till date during that season. Lacazette scored 17 goals plus 4 assists in 39 games.
The French striker scored more goals (19 in 52 games) in the second season but his goal/game output was lesser than that of his debut campaign as an Arsenal player. He made more assists (10) and was rewarded with the Player of the Season award. However, things have gone from good to bad for him this season.
The ex-Lyon skipper struggled with an injury at the start of the current season having picked it up during pre-season and that seemed to affect him as he failed to rediscover the form of his last two seasons at the club. Young attackers like Gabriel Martinelli and Eddie Nketiah have been picked ahead of him in the Arsenal attack this season after he failed to ignite the frontline with goals and assists. Lacazette has just nine goals and three assists in 35 games for the Gunners in the present campaign.
Lacazette is now seen as someone dispensable in the Arsenal attack thereby leading to the suggestion that a new club could be the catalyst for him to resurrect his ailing football career. Atletico Madrid are long-term admirers and the La Liga giants are also in the market for a new striker thus making it a big possibility for him to move to Madrid this summer.
