Arsenal are ready to spend big
Alexandre Lacazette may not be heading to Arsenal this summer, but that doesn’t mean the Gunners are going to refrain from spending massive amounts of cash. Instead, the Gunners have already moved to redeploy Lacazette’s potential transfer fee some place else.
In case you missed it, Lyon president Jean-Michel Aulas gave Arsene Wenger bad news yesterday. Just as the Gunners seemed to be closing in on Lacazette’s signature, he doused cold water on the rumours. Instead, Aulas insists that he believes the prolific striker will stay put this summer.
Obviously, Arsenal had high hopes of bringing Lacazette to North London. His arrival would have given Wenger and company a legitimate striker to round out the club’s already dangerous attack. Lacazette’s combination of pace and finishing ability would have caused real problems for Arsenal opponents.
The good news for Arsenal fans is that the club aren’t simply going to stand pat. They’ve already moved to plan B. That doesn’t mean the Gunners are going to move on to another transfer target though. Instead, their inability to bring in Lacazette may increase the club’s chances to hang on to Alexis Sanchez and Mesut Ozil.
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Reports from England claim that Arsenal are offering both stars a 20 percent raise if they’re willing to ink a new deal. Both men have been locked on tense contract negotiations with the club for months. Each is thought to be holding out for wage packets well in excess of £250 thousand per week. Club officials are hesitant to green light deals exceeding £300 thousand per week due to the potential damage it could do to Arsenal’s wage structure.
The real question now becomes whether or not Alexis and Ozil will be tempted by Arsenal’s new offer. If they do, Lacazette’s snubbing of the Gunners could be the best thing that happens to Wenger all summer. If they still aren’t impressed by the club’s offer, Arsenal may be forced to move on to plan C to improve their squad before next season.
Next: The latest transfer rumours at Arsenal
The only thing we really know right now is that the Gunners will spend big money this summer. Only time will tell whether or not the majority of the cash is spent on acquiring new talent or keeping their current stars.