It's been a little quieter on the transfer front for Arsenal recently, but that's not to say things aren't happening behind the scenes. Following the win over FC Nurnberg last week, Mikel Arteta confirmed that there were still things the club would like to do, but reiterated that the market would 'dictate' what's possible.
Perhaps that was a slight hint towards the Lisandro Martinez situation. Arsenal had been in serious talks with Ajax regarding the Argentinian and even saw bids rejected, but eventually, Manchester United came in and matched the increasing financial demands that were being set.
For a lot of clubs including Arsenal, a fair amount of business has been done already, especially in terms of incomings. Four new faces have arrived, three of which are very attacking-minded. However, it highlights the need for reinforcements in other areas of the squad and it's something that Arteta and technical director Edu are aware of.
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Links to players such as Oleksandr Zinchenko, Youri Tielemans and the aforementioned Martinez certainly back that up, but if the latest reports are anything to go by, it appears Lyon's Lucas Paqueta has climbed to the top of the list.
Various outlets in both France and Brazil claim that Arsenal have already made contact with the player's camp via Edu in order to confirm their intention of submitting an official offer. The 24-year-old is believed to be open to a move to England and is keen for a deal to be agreed.
Despite this, the main sticking point could be the price set by Lyon's tough negotiator that is president Jean-Michel Aulas. It's reported that the Ligue 1 side is unwilling to do business for anything below £50m, although the £67m value from January is said to have been lowered.
That doesn't change the fact that Lyon will be looking to get as much as possible, just as they did with the likes of Bruno Guimaraes and Alexandre Lacazette. However, it is the latter that could look to weaken Aulas' hand in any negotiations.
Lacazette only recently rejoined Lyon after spending five years with the Gunners, for whom he scored 71 goals in 206 appearances. He already had a good relationship with the staff and the club in general, but the way his uncertain future was handled towards the end of his time in London would have gone down well.
After enjoying a relatively successful spell at Arsenal, Lacazette can give his new teammate a glowing report about his next potential destination. If Paqueta does indeed have his eyes on a move to the Premier League, then he won't require much convincing from the Frenchman and it could prove crucial in pushing for a deal to go through.
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