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Arsenal tipped to snub 40-goal hitman in favour of signing £52m star

By mac14 on June 21, 2017

According to the Express, European football expert Julien Laurens believes Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger wants to sign Lyon star Alexandre Lacazette over Borussia Dortmund’s Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang this summer.

The boss is facing arguably the most difficult summer of his entire career as he bids to keep hold of key players and build a squad capable of challenging for the title after missing out on the top four.

A new goal-scorer is once again a priority and while we’ve been linked with a world record move for Monaco’s Kylian Mbappe, Lacazette and Aubameyang have emerged as more realistic targets.

Lacazette has once again been linked with a move to Arsenal this summer and the Evening Standard reported yesterday that we haven’t been put off by Lyon’s £52.7m asking price for the striker.

There have been reports suggesting we’ve held talks with Lyon president Jean-Michel Aulas with the 26-year-old still expected to leave despite seeing his proposed move to Atletico Madrid fall through.

Aubameyang is also being tipped to find a new club this summer and SportBild claimed last week that the Gabon international would only be interested in joining Arsenal if he heads to England.

The pacey striker scored 40 goals for Borussia Dortmund last season so many feel he’d be a superb addition to the Arsenal squad if we could get a deal agreed for his signature.

However, when asked why Arsenal seem to be favouring a move for Lacazette over Aubameyang, European football expert Julien Laurens claimed that Wenger sees the younger Frenchman as a better fit for our style of play.

He’s quoted as saying by the Express:

“Lacazette is a bit cheaper and he’s a bit younger as well. I think in Arsene Wenger’s side mind, Lacazette is more of an Arsenal player.

“If you think of Aubameyang, if you don’t play in transition like Borussia Dortmund do, if you don’t have a lot of space where he can run through and run in behind the opposition’s defence, then he’s not really that useful.

“Arsenal never play like that because when they play against teams in the Premier League, especially at the Emirates, everybody plays 11 men behind the ball and wait for them on the edge of the box.

“There is not that space for Aubameyang to run into. Lacazette is much better in small areas, small spaces and I think that is why Wenger likes Lacazette more than he likes Aubameyang.”

I must admit that I’d be more excited to see us sign Aubameyang but I do appreciate what Laurens is saying here and perhaps Lacazette would fit in better with our style of play.

And let’s not forget, Lacazette scored 37 goals for a pretty average Lyon side last season so he’d certainly provide a real threat up front if we do end up signing him.