Arsenal have made one of the signings of the summer in Alexandre Lacazette. The France international forward has arrived at the Emirates Stadium with a strong reputation and is expected to lead the line for the Gunners next season.
Lacazette could cost Arsenal a total of £52.7 million in transfer fees, and the fans will expect the 26-year-old to be a star in the Premier League next season. The Frenchman scored 28 goals and provided three assists in 30 Ligue 1 appearances in 2016-17, while in 2015-16, he scored 21 goals and created 43 chances in 34 league matches.
The signing of Lacazette, though, could be a problem for Olivier Giroud in his quest to re-establish himself in the Arsenal starting lineup. The 30-year-old has been on the books of the Gunners since 2012, but last season he lost his place in the team. The former Montpellier star was able to start just 11 games in the Premier League and made 18 appearances in the league as a substitute.
It is pretty clear that Lacazette will be the first-choice forward at Arsenal next season, and if Alexis Sanchez remains at the Emirates, then it is hard to see how Giroud could play regularly. True, Lacazette could take a while to adapt to the Premier League and it could open the door for the 30-year-old for a short period of time, but Arsenal manger Arsene Wenger could make use of Danny Welbeck or just continue to deploy Sanchez as his main striker.
Giroud is a good striker and he has shown what he is capable of in the Premier League over the past five years, but the France international is not at the level to guide the Gunners to the league title. It would make sense for the former Tours star to find a new club. The likes of Bayern Munich, Real Madrid or Juventus are not going to come knocking on his door, but Giroud could be a good addition to Everton or West Ham United.
Given that both the Toffees and the Hammers have been linked with a £30 million move for the Frenchman, it would not be a bad idea to take advantage of several offers on betting websites and place a bet on him, perhaps as part of a larger requested accumulator, to leave Arsenal when you’re online.
The Frenchman is at his peak at the moment, and it would be a shame if he has to waste his talent and quality on the substitutes’ bench at Arsenal. Wenger, though, has suggested that he wants to keep Giroud at the Emirates for the 2017-18 campaign. After all, the more strikers he has in his team, the better the chances of the North London outfit challenging for the Premier League title next season. From Arsenal’s perspective, having Giroud in the squad adds more strength and depth.
However, selling Giroud would fetch a lot of money, which could then be invested in other signings or help in recouping some of the cash that Arsenal spent on Lacazette, and this could be very tempting for Arsenal. The 2016-17 campaign showed that the Gunners can play without Giroud, and if Wenger does not plan to use him much next season and the player himself wants to leave, then it would be wise for the two parties to go separate ways.
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