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Arsenal pursue Alexandre Lacazette in £44m deal amid Kylian Mbappe interest

AFP/Getty Images
AFP/Getty Images

Arsenal retain an interest in Kylian Mbappe but are pursuing a deal in the meantime for Lyon striker Alexandre Lacazette.

Mbappe is Wenger's preferred target but the Gunners are yet to receive an indication the 18-year-old is willing to leave Monaco this summer after having an informal £87million bid rejected, although the club deny any offer was made.

Real Madrid are believed to be in pole position but with a possible fee expected to exceed £120m, Arsenal are turning their attentions to other targets and have advanced a move for Lacazette.

Lyon originally quoted Arsenal a fee of £52.7m for Lacazatte and talks have progressed between the two clubs, with the Gunners believed to have tabled a bid in the region of £44m.

Lyon are yet to accept or reject that offer while Lacazette will need convincing to join the Gunners given an absence of Champions League football, and the fact a move to Atletico Madrid was widely anticipated prior to Fifa upholding a transfer ban which remains in place until January.