Arsenal have received a boost in the pursuit of long-term target Alexandre Lacazette after Atletico Madrid failed to have their transfer ban overturned.
The France international was due to link up with Atleti during the summer transfer window after Lyon president Jean-Michel Aulas confirmed that a verbal agreement had been put in place for the proposed transfer.
However, the Spanish outfit could not have their embargo overturned at the Court of Arbitration of Sport, and this restricts them from recruiting fresh players until the turn of the year.
According to The Independent, Gunners boss Arsene Wenger could retain his interest in Lacazette this summer after admitting his ambition to bring ‘top top’ players to the Emirates.
One of the main issues behind the Gunners’ quest could be the lack of Champions League football following an average league season which saw them finish fifth overall.
Lacazette has repeatedly iterated his desire to feature in Europe’s elite competition, and this potentially puts the Gunners behind the likes of Manchester United and Liverpool in the race to sign the marksman.
Wenger is likely to be backed with a substantial kitty to rebuild his squad in the summer, but the main focus remains on keeping hold of their main players especially Alexis Sanchez and Mesut Ozil.
Both Sanchez and Ozil have declined to open up negotiations over a fresh contract, but there is a sense they will commit their futures once the club manage to make a couple of top-class signings in the transfer window.
Lacazette enjoyed his best campaign in the Lyon shirt last term as he bagged an impressive tally of 37 goals in 45 outings across all competitions – the fourth successive season he had crossed the 20-goal mark.
