Arsenal risk losing Alexandre Lacazette for nothing after choosing not to discuss his contract situation until the end of the season.
The Frenchman's current deal expires when the campaign comes to an end.
He is now free to negotiate a pre-contract agreement with Arsenal playing a high risk game having chosen not to table an offer until now.
Lacazette has taken on the role as the club's No.9 with Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang now gone.
Mikel Arteta has spoke positively about the player's contributions, but confirmed earlier this year that no negotiations would be entered into until the season ended.
He said previously: "I don’t know there is so much stuff. What I can say is I'm really happy with what Laca is doing.
"We’re not going to be talking about any of that until the end of the season."
Have Your Say! Will Alexandre Lacazette be at Arsenal next season? Tell us here.
Failing to do so has allowed interest parties to come to the table.
One of those is Lyon, Lacazette's former club whom he left back in 2017.
The French club's president Jean-Michel Aulas has confirmed they are looking to bring back the current Arsenal star and Karim Benzema, who also played at Lyon earlier in his career.
Aulas eluded to Lacazette being the preferred choice due to being far more attainable.
"It's Lacazette, he interests us because he marked this club," he said.
"It's a profile that interests us and we have always been in contact with him.
"This is part of the guiding ideas brought by (new sporting director) Bruno Cheyrou. In our context, yes it (Lacazette) is more accessible than Benzema.
"We have to try to see if we can do it as a free player but we will not be alone."
Lacazette confessed earlier this season that his representatives were looking in to possibilities away from north London.
The Frenchman's departure would be a poor look for the Gunners, who allowed Aubameyang to leave for nothing after he fell out of favour under Arteta.
Youngster Eddie Nketiah has also rejected a new deal in north London and is poised to leave for nothing in the summer.
He was the subject of a January bid from Crystal Palace which Arsenal rejected.
Arsenal spent much of last month chasing Dusan Vlahovic, who has made his name in Italy with Fiorentina.
The Serbian eventually opted for a move to Juventus late in the window leaving the Gunners to pursue other targets.
Real Sociedad's Alexander Isak and Everton forward Dominic Calvert-Lewin are both seen as potential targets.
