Atletico Madrid are reportedly plotting a summer move for Alexandre Lacazette, so can Arsenal afford to lose him?
According to Mundo Deportivo, the La Liga heavyweights are monitoring Lacazette as they weigh up a bid for the Frenchman at the end of the season.
The report also claims that Atletico have been interested in Lacazette for a number of years, dating back to his days in Ligue 1 for Lyon.
Should Arsenal sell him?
If they are able to sign Napoli forward Arkadiusz Milik, then it could be a good deal for the club, yes.
According to Calcio Napoli 24, Arsenal are eyeing a €45m transfer for the Polish striker, who could serve as a replacement for Lacazette.
Not only is Milik almost three years younger than Lacazette, but he has also performed better domestically for his club this season. Milik has scored an impressive nine Serie A goals in 16 games for Napoli, whilst Lacazette has scored seven goals in 20 appearances in the Premier League for Arsenal. This suggests that Milik could, perhaps, be an upgrade on Lacazette if the Gunners were able to strike a deal for him.
If Arsenal can sign Milik from Napoli and secure his signature in the summer, they could then allow Lacazette to join Atletico Madrid. This could mean that they get a decent transfer fee for a forward on the decline, with two goals in his last ten league games, and replace him with an in-form centre-forward.
Milik could also offer something different to Lacazette, due to his excellent hold-up play – offering more of a physical presence at the top end of the pitch. This could help Arsenal add variety to their game and change their approach to certain matches so that they do not become too predictable to opposition defences.
