If Arsenal go into the new season with Olivier Giroud as their only senior striking option, it won’t be for lack of trying.
The Gunners have already been turned down by Jamie Vardy after meeting the Leicester striker’s release clause, and now they have been knocked back in their pursuit of another frontman.
Alexandre Lacazette has been a long-term fixture in the Arsenal rumour mill, and was a surprise omission from France’s Euro 2016 squad.
Perhaps looking to sneak a deal in under the radar, the London club made a €35m (£29.3m) bid for the Lyon frontman. However, if they planned on keeping things hush-hush then they’re out of luck, as the Ligue 1 club have made public their rejection of the bid.
Communiqué du club ! #Mercato #Lacazette pic.twitter.com/mEKZvHAobx
— Olympique Lyonnais (@OL) July 26, 2016
Describing Lacazette as an ‘irreplaceable’ player and ‘one of the main leaders’ of their squad, the club have moved to clarify that the amount of the bid was substantially lower than the €48m (£40.2m) reported by local paper Le Progrès.
With Danny Welbeck injured and Takuma Asano at the Olympic Games with Japan, Arsenal’s striking options for the opening game of the season against Liverpool are limited.
Aside from Giroud, the club can call upon Yaya Sanogo – who spent the last season out on loan – or move the likes of Theo Walcott or Alex Iwobi into a more advanced role.
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