The perpetual “will he, won’t he?” transfer saga of Lyon striker Alexandre Lacazette looks to be coming to a head this summer; the man himself has already said that he could go looking for a new challenge this summer and now the French club — who already said they’d go “mad” to keep him — sound like they’re ready to cash in on the 25-year old hit-man.
“Alex had a good option with a club that is in his heart,” said Lyon chairman Jean-Michel Aulas. “If the club of his heart is able to match our demands – as Barcelona did last season for Sam Umtiti – then things will go well. Otherwise, it will depend on our other business,” confirmed the Frenchman. “But if any players feel that this club is not big enough for them, we will look for others who are just as strong but have the right mentality as well,” added Aulas, pulling no punches. “If there are departures, this money will be used to recruit new players.”
With a number of suitors queuing up for his services, Lacazette will have no shortage of offers and if Liverpool do intend to make a move, they’ll almost certainly have to be playing Champions League football next season to have any chance. Reds boss Jurgen Klopp is rumoured to be on the verge of receiving the biggest transfer budget in the club’s history, but just how much he’s handed may well be dependent on whether or not they’re playing in Europe’s elite club competition or not. Although he’s confirmed that we won’t have to sell players to bring new ones in, that doesn’t mean there won’t be changes in the squad this summer with Mamadou Sakho, who is currently on loan at Crystal Palace, almost certainly one of the first out the door — that is, if we can find someone willing to shell out the £30mil that we’re asking for him.
“You can’t con anyone that he didn’t make a massive difference, we won some massive games with him,” said Palace chairman Steve Parish. “He’s a big character, he’s got the respect of all the players, and it’s one we’d like to do,” added the Eagles supremo, confirming the Croydon club are interested before hinting that his price-tag could derail any bid. “But, of course, we have a lot of things we need to do in the summer, and the money needs to work for us and for Liverpool.”
