Lyon president Jean-Michel Aulas has told Arsenal they have to match Atletico Madrid’s €65m (£57m) deal for Alexandre Lacazette to sign the striker this summer.
Lacazette was due to join Atletico until Diego Simeone’s side failed to overturn their FIFA-imposed transfer ban at the end of last month, which has paved the way for Arsenal to strike a deal.
Arsenal, who messed up the chance to sign Lacazette last summer, have already bid £40m for the 26-year-old, but have now been told they must match what Atletico were willing to pay or risk missing out on his signature to the Spanish giants in January.
“I do not have the intention of rapidly letting Alexandre go, because there is still a desire from Atletico Madrid to bring him in on the 1st of January [2018],” Aulas told L’Equipe.
“Now, I will also be listing to what Alexandre has to say. I saw Arsene [Wenger], during the match between France and England. I was with Gerard Houllier [Lyon advisor] and I was led to be believed that he said to Gerard that there could be interest from Arsenal.
“But it is premature to say that a deal will be done. The first thing that needs to happen is that we have to do a very big deal before. We cannot let a player of his quality leave without having a replacement for him.”
“It will have to be at the very least that [€50-60m]. Everyone knows that the offer from Atletico is €53m plus €12m in bonuses. That is €65m. As the Arsenal representatives have been told, a deal would occur around there. The price for a player who scores between 25 and 30 goals every year is at the very least that.
“But honestly, I have not yet considered Arsenal for the moment, because I thought that Alexandre would stay after his failed departure to Atletico Madrid.”
Lacazette has spent his entire career at Lyon but announced his intentions to leave at the end of last season, although it remains to be seen where his future lies, with Atletico now trying to re-sign Diego Costa from Chelsea.
Since the start of the 2013/14 season, Lacazette has scored more goals in Ligue 1 than any other player (91).
For more stats on Alexandre Lacazette, click here to visit his WhoScored player page
