By Rob Worthington
Come the end of the season, regardless of where Arsenal finish in Premier League, I believe Alex Lacazette will leave the club. The Frenchman has had a torrid campaign thus far and his away form throughout his time playing for us has been a cause for alarm. If we are offered an acceptable sum, I believe we should sell the Frenchman. Here is a list of ways Arsenal could replace him: Moussa Dembélé
One player who I rate incredibly highly is Lyon’s Moussa Dembélé. The former Celtic and Fulham man has scored 18 goals in all competitions this season and has collected 4 French caps along the way. At the ripe age of 23, he is an extremely tempting choice. It is likely Dembélé would cost somewhere in the region of £50 million but this could be a bargain for someone who I view as a complete striker.
He is strong aerially, he has great pace and he has a cool head in front of goal. If we want a direct replacement, this is your man. However, being able to tempt the Frenchman away from Lyon without Champions League football may be very difficult.
Wilfried Zaha
Another option is the man I believed Arsenal should’ve signed during the 2019 Summer transfer window, Wilfried Zaha. While the 27 year-old would not be a direct replacement, he would fit perfectly into our current system. The Ivorian could fill the left-wing void, allowing Aubameyang to move into the centre if he stays at the club, and form a fearsome front three of Zaha, the Gabonese international and Nicolas Pépé.
Last season, the former Manchester United man delivered 10 goals and 5 assists for a poor Crystal Palace side and with better players around him, he could excel. His pace, direct dribbling and boisterous personality make him my personal favourite. Victor Osimhen
A player you’re less likely to know of is Victor Osimhen. The Nigerian international has had a stellar season in France thus far, having scored 18 goals this campaign in all compeitions. The 21 Year-Old has impressively burst onto the scene and has adequately replaced Lille’s top goalscorer of the 2018/19 season, a certain Nicolas Pépé.
This is another player who has a little bit of everything: strength, pace and aerial ability. Due to our strong relations with Lille and his probable flexibility with regard to his desire for Champions League football, for me this is the most realistic option for an acquisition on this list. Edinson Cavani
On the other hand, a player who needs no introducing is Edinson Cavani. The Uruguayan has fell out of favour at PSG this season following the loan signing of Mauro Icardi. The 33-year-old has decided he will not be renewing his current contract at the club. Atletico appeared to be the most likely destination for the former Napoli striker but such reports have faded away seems as if he’ll be available for free in the summer and we would be able to approach him right now.
Cavani has guaranteed at least 20 goals a season every year during his time with the Ligue 1 outfit and the physical nature of his game means he will certainly offer us something we don’t already have. However, it is likely he would demand a huge wage and this would not be a long-term replacement, which makes such a deal slightly less enticing for me in comparison to the other propositions. No-one
Perhaps the most likely scenario is that we do not replace Lacazette at all. Bringing in a replacement would halt the development of Gabriel Martinelli and Eddie Nketiah, as well as the fact that we already possess one of the best strikers in the world in Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (if we manage to keep him at the club this Summer).
Additionally, spending large amounts on a striker would limit funds for recruitment in positions which are in huge need of addressing such as a central defender or a creative midfielder. Henceforth, this would be my preference and the one I predict to occur.
However, when Aubameyang does choose to move on, Osimhen and Dembélé are certainly players we should be looking to bring in if they are still available. For the moment, I trust our array of attacking talents to deliver the goods.
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