Arsenal news: Which striker will the Gunners sign?

Will Arsenal sign Romelu Lukaku or Alexandre Lacazette?

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has entered into transfer talks with both Everton striker and Lyon front man Alexandre Lacazette. Which striker will the Gunners finally be able to sign?

Reports from England claim that Wenger spoke to each star’s club before the beginning of Euro 2016. Each striker is almost assured of leaving their respective club this summer despite each wanting to hold on to their chief goal scorer. Arsenal certainly have financial resources to secure either man, but which are they more likely to end up with?

First, let me acknowledge the very real possibility that Arsenal won’t sign either man this summer. There’s certainly a chance that will happen. However, at this point, the odds would favor Arsenal signing either Lukaku or Lacazette to lead their line next year.

To some degree, this may come down to a cost benefit analysis. Everton are reportedly looking for upwards of 75 million pounds for Lukaku. It’s unlikely they’ll actually be able to negotiate that fee in full, but it illustrates where negotiations are likely to begin.

Lacazette, on the other hand, is valued at a much more reasonable figure. Lyon are rumored to be looking for a fee of around 45 million pounds for his services. That certainly isn’t an inconsequential amount of money, but it’s just over half what the Toffees want for their Belgian talisman.

It isn’t going to be a simple matter of just price though. The reason that Lukaku is likely to cost significantly more than Lacazette is because he is a better football player. He’s already proven that he can be a prolific goal scorer in the Premier League and at 22-years-old, still has a great deal of career growth ahead of him. He has the rare combination of being a player who can definitely produce in England’s top flight, and could drastically improve.

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Lacazette, on the other hand, would represent somewhat of a risk for the Gunners. He’s been an excellent goal scorer in Ligue 1, but there is some risk that his game wouldn’t translate perfectly to the Premier League. He also has the disadvantage of being a few years older than his Belgian counterpart. He isn’t old by any means, but he has less career growth ahead of him.

The question for Wenger and Arsenal is whether or not Lukaku is worth the premium. If Arsenal opt to secure his services than their attack almost certainly becomes the best in England. Lukaku would be the ideal front man to support Alexis Sanchez and Mesut Ozil in the Gunner attack. His combination of speed and power could potentially devastate Premier League defenses.

Lacazette, could also be quite effective leading the Arsenal line. He doesn’t have the power that Lukaku possesses, but his top-end speed and finishing ability give him a slight edge over the prolific Belgian. The downside is that he doesn’t have the body to hold up play or equal the aerial threat that Olivier Giroud currently provides his club.

While Lukaku would make the Arsenal attack completely unplayable, Lacazette is more likely to end up with the North London club. It’s just not likely that Arsenal are going to pay the fee required to bring the Belgian international into their club.

In contrast, Lacazette seems to fit pretty comfortably into Arsenal’s price range. Look for Wenger to secure the services of his countrymen in a more economically conservative transaction. His frugality might cost his club Lukaku and a real chance at a Premier League title.