The Gunners are yet to enter contract renewal talks with striker Alexandre Lacazette, who signed for the club from Lyon in 2017. Juventus are keen to sign the player if he becomes surplus to requirements at the Emirates, reports ESPN.
The Frenchman could leave in January 2022 for a fraction of the fee that the club paid for him. The 30-year-old could also sign a pre-contract agreement with any interested teams starting January 1 and leave on a free transfer six months later.
Lacazette is yet to start a game for Arsenal this season. The Frenchman has appeared twice off the bench for the Gunners – once in the league and once in the Carabao Cup. He scored his first goal of the season in the latter against West Bromwich Albion, bringing his total club tally to 66 in 172 matches.
The 30-year-old will have plenty of suitors if he leaves Arsenal next summer for free. He is believed to be a target for Serie A pair Juventus and AC Milan – as per Calciomercato – who could even pay a small fee to sign him six months earlier in January. The Frenchman has been watched for several years by Atletico Madrid and is also attracting interest from Sevilla.
Nonetheless, Arsenal coach Mikel Arteta is counting on Lacazette to make an impact this season. The Spaniard confirmed recently that the striker is still a key member of the squad and is being eased back into action after suffering from COVID-19 right at the start of the season.
“He’s fully involved. You give the reasons why he hasn’t played more minutes and he will be back to the form that he can achieve. I am sure that he will be instrumental in our success.”
he said.
Lacazette could feature when Arsenal play Burnley in the league on September 18. The Gunners are looking for the second win of the season after a terrible start saw them lose their first three games of the season.
