Arsenal are closer than they’ve ever been to signing Lyon striker Alexandre Lacazette, but it’s been a transfer saga which intensified on the weekend.
So what have you probably missed from the last two days?
Saturday: “Lacazette deal will be completed in the next few days”
After the Gunners were reported to be in “advanced talks ahead of £50m deal” on Friday, Arsenal were believed to be on the cusp of completing the deal to sign Lacazette on Saturday. Reports suggested the London club just had to dot the i’s and cross the t’s, having agreed the price with Lyon.
Arsenal close to completing Lacazette deal. Final fee almost agreed & he'll then have medical & finalise terms to become #AFC record signing
— David Ornstein (@bbcsport_david) July 1, 2017
Lacazette was believed to be booked in to undergo a medical at Arsenal and was expected to arrival in London on the weekend.
Even Lyon president Jean-Michel Aulas was believed to have agreed the deal with Arsenal. However, things turned sour less than 24 hours later…
Sunday: “Arsenal haven’t matched his £50m asking price”
Aulas threw a spanner in the works by taking to Twitter and refuting claims that the deal was close to being completed. He suggested Arsenal hadn’t even matched the €50m asking price, making the claims of a booked medical all the more embarrassing and premature.
@OL @Le_Progres Fausses ls informations du Progrès:l'éventuel transfert d'Alex L celui ci n'est pas à Londres la1 ère offre était de 45 m€ !
— Jean-Michel AULAS (@JM_Aulas) July 2, 2017
Sunday evening: Deal to be done in ‘one or two days’
Aulas told Le Progress that a deal could be complete in “one or two days”, adding: “The transfer [fee] will be between €45million and €50m. Being close to €50m is unique, and will probably be a record for Arsenal and Olympique Lyonnais as well.
“We will probably reach a new record, it’s not a small transfer, €50m for a player trained by our club.”
The saga goes on….