Barcelona are interested in signing Arsenal striker Alexandre Lacazette this summer, should they fail in their pursuit of Atletico Madrid’s Antoine Griezmann, but should the Gunners look to keep hold of the striker?
According to the Daily Mail, Barca will turn their attention to Lacazette should a move for Griezmann fail to materialise once again, but here’s why the Gunners should look to keep the Frenchman.
First and foremost, Lacazette is a consistent goalscorer. While a record of 35 goals in 85 appearances for Arsenal does not appear much on paper, a tally of 17 goals in all competitions during his debut season and 18 goals so far this campaign highlights his ability to find the back of the net on a regular basis.
Furthermore, not only is the Frenchman consistent at scoring, he also appears to enjoy assisting his teammates. The 27-year-old has laid on 12 assists this season, adding to the five he created the campaign before, meaning he has scored or assisted 52 goals in 85 Arsenal appearances.
Suddenly, the record both on paper and on the pitch appears a lot more useful.
Barca’s interest, therefore, is understandable, and the potential departure of Lacazette would pose a serious question of who would be able to replace the Frenchman.
The Daily Mail suggest Arsenal would receive a fee close to the £53million they paid Lyon for the striker’s services, and while that is a clearly a decent sum, is there anyone who could match or better Lacazette’s contribution for that price, especially given the current transfer market.
The 27-year-old has also forged what is becoming a formidable partnership with fellow striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang this season, with the pair scoring 43 goals between them in all competitions.
So if finding a replacement for Lacazette appeared difficult, finding somebody who could link up with Aubameyang in a similar fashion and contribute as much as the Frenchman has appears nigh on impossible.
