90min

Arsenal Open to Alexandre Lacazette Sale to Juventus - Swap Deal Also Possible

By Grey Whitebloom

Alexandre Lacazette has been linked with a move away from Arsenal after three seasons in north London
Alexandre Lacazette has been linked with a move away from Arsenal after three seasons in north London / Naomi Baker/Getty Images
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Arsenal are open to letting Alexandre Lacazette leave the club for Serie A champions Juventus - either through a straightforward sale or a swap deal.

Lacazette joined Arsenal from French side Olympique Lyonnais in the summer of 2017 for £46.5m. The 29-year-old has scored 48 goals in 127 matches across his three seasons for the club but has been in and out of the side since Mikel Arteta was appointed manager in December.

Lacazette has averaged a goal every 181 minutes for Arsenal across all competitions
Lacazette has averaged a goal every 181 minutes for Arsenal across all competitions / Pool/Getty Images

Despite winning the Serie A title this season, Juventus replaced manager Maurizio Sarri with Andrea Pirlo, a club legend but someone with no managerial experience. The four-time Scudetto winner with Juventus has already singled out a handful of players deemed surplus to requirements in Turin, with striker Gonzalo Higuaín among them.

Juventus are interested in acquiring Lacazette in place of the Argentinian, according to The Athletic. Arsenal are reportedly willing to offload their French forward if the price is right, although a swap deal is also an option.

The reigning Serie A champions have a large, expensive squad and - in the wake of the economic impact from the coronavirus pandemic - are keen to negotiate player-exchanges, as they did when Barcelona's Arthur Melo moved to Turin and Miralem Pjanic went the other way in June.

Lacazette in action against Atlético Madrid, another European giant interested in the French striker
Lacazette in action against Atlético Madrid, another European giant interested in the French striker / Jean Catuffe/Getty Images

Lacazette has attracted the attention of Juventus' Serie A rivals Inter, who have lined up Arsenal's number nine if Lautaro Martínez does eventually complete his drawn-out move to Barcelona. La Liga's Atlético Madrid can also be counted among his admirers.

As Arsenal inch ever closer to what would surely be a lucrative contract extension for club captain Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang - and with the arrival of fellow forward Willian also nearing completion - the Gunners may be forced to let Lacazette go to improve their financial standing.