If Crystal Palace are prioritising young, hungry affordable players a la Nathan Ferguson, Odsonne Edouard and Michael Olise these days, it’s hard to imagine a 30-year-old forward who earns an eye-watering £180,000 a week rocking up at Selhurst Park any time soon.
According to 90Min, London rivals Palace and West Ham United have expressed an interest in Alexandre Lacazette, with Arsenal’s £47 million striker set to become a free agent at the end of this season.
There’s a chance, given his lack of game time in the Premier League this season, Arsenal would let the France international go for a cut-price fee as early as January.
But while Lacazette still has plenty left in the bank – he scored 17 goals in all competitions during the Gunners’ worst season in a quarter of a century last term – the veteran frontman isn’t a natural fit for Crystal Palace’s new-look transfer policy.
Is Crystal Palace a no-go for Arsenal man Lacazette?
The Eagles signed eight players this summer and, not including back-up goalkeeper Remi Matthews, the average age was 22. Former Watford playmaker Will Hughes was the oldest of the lot at 26.
The likes of Marc Guehi, Joachim Andersen and Conor Gallagher wouldn’t have shattered the club’s wage structure either.
So a deal for Lacazette feels unlikely, even if the former Lyon captain is willing to take a sizeable pay cut to stay in the Premier League and London.
Arsenal haven’t had it easy when attempting to get unwanted, high-earning players off the books in recent times, letting Mesut Ozil, Sokratis, Shkodran Mustafi and Henrikh Mkhitaryan – players who set the club back about £100 million combined – all leaving on free transfers.
The chances are Lacazette will be following in their footsteps sooner rather than later.
Here’s what some Crystal Palace fans on Twitter had to say about the Lacazette rumours:
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