Sale has ‘financial appeal to Arsenal’ as star pushes for January exit

Alexandre Lacazette looks increasingly likely to leave Arsenal in January with no renewal offer on the table, according to reports.

The Frenchman has been linked with a move away from the Emirates Stadium for a while now and a potential move now seems closer than ever.

Barcelona, Atletico Madrid, Inter Milan, AC Milan and Juventus are some of the clubs rumoured to be interested in Lacazette with his contract up in June 2022.

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That means he will be able to speak to foreign clubs in January about the possibility of joining them on a free transfer at the end of the season.

The chances of him remaining at Arsenal beyond the end of the season seem increasingly small with Lacazette only playing 31 minutes of their first six Premier League matches this campaign.

And now ESPN confirms ‘the chances of Alexandre Lacazette leaving Arsenal in January are increasing’ with Atletico, Juve and Sevilla all interested in a January transfer.

The report adds that ‘there is no contract offer on the table despite his deal running out at the end of the season’ and that Lacazette is ‘becoming minded to push for a move before’ his deal runs out.

It is understood that a January move would have ‘financial appeal to Arsenal given they would be able to command a transfer fee if he left midseason’ with potential player-plus-cash deals in the offing.

Meanwhile, after a terrible start to the season, the Gunners have now won their last four matches in all competitions and boss Mikel Arteta is welcoming the pressure.

“I think that feeling is very necessary at a big club because every defeat is a crisis and it should be a crisis, and you have to deal with that pressure,” Arteta said.

“If you want to be the best you have to cope with that and realise that excellence is the only way and the only thing that is expected. Anything else isn’t good enough.”

Arteta added: “It is the history we have. We have a great history because we have that competitive edge.

“We have that mentality as well and that willingness to look further and have that ambition. To achieve that you need to be able to deal with that.”