Report: Arsenal ready to trigger Lacazette's €40M release clause
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Arsenal intends to trigger negotiations with Lyon over in-demand striker Alexandre Lacazette by offering €40 million for the 25-year-old Frenchman, according to The Telegraph's Jason Burt.
The Gunners have yet to formally submit a bid for the player, but Burt believes manager Arsene Wenger has already held discussions with Lacazette's representatives while covering Euro 2016 as a television pundit.
Lyon reportedly rejected advances from West Ham, and after the €25-million sale of Samuel Umtiti to Barcelona, the Ligue 1 club apparently has confidence that it can keep Lacazette.
He failed to make France's final 23-man squad for the Euros despite scoring 21 goals in 34 league matches last season.
Lacazette outlined his desire to play in the Premier League in January, but he made it clear that he doesn't want to make the switch just to end up sitting on the bench.
Arsenal is looking for another striker to complement Olivier Giroud and make up for the loss of Danny Welbeck, who will miss the first few months of the 2016-17 campaign following knee surgery.
Lacazette is a penalty-box specialist who often boasts a high shot conversion percentage.