Barcelona are looking to land another Arsenal frontman in Alexandre Lacazette as they plot their summer business.
The Catalans are in the midst of a major recruitment drive after hiring Xavi earlier this season. Former Gunner Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang was one of the club's landmark arrivals in January with Ferran Torres and Adama Traore joining from Manchester City and Wolves respectively.
Barcelona are now hoping to take advantage of Lacazette's contract saga by adding the Frenchman for nothing. Arsenal have allowed the forward to run down his deal meaning he can walk away from the Emirates this summer. Sport understands that the LaLiga outfit are considering a swoop, which would reunite the Arsenal man with Aubameyang.
Lacazette has led the line in north London since the Gabon star's departure. Arsenal terminated the forward's contract after he fell out of favour under Mikel Arteta, but he has been prolific since moving to the Nou Camp. Lacazette, who has scored 5 times this term, could now follow him.
Arteta was quizzed on the player's future last month and said: "We have discussed that at the end of the season, when we know where we are we are going, to make a decision together [on Lacazette's future]. We agreed the decision is to do it in the summer [assess the situation] and that’s when we are going to do it."
Barcelona are in the market for Mo Salah, whose contract is also a major topic. The Liverpool forward will enter the final 12 months of his deal this summer and could force his current club into a major decision. Juventus have also been credited with interest.
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Jurgen Klopp has said on Salah's future: "Mo expects this club to be ambitious. We cannot do much more. It is Mo's decision. It is all fine from my point of view. Nothing happened further, no signing or rejection. We just have to wait, there's no rush."
Lacazette would be a much cheaper alternative for Salah, who would cost north of £100m. Erling Haaland is another forward who will be on the market this summer once his Borussia Dortmund release clause becomes active. Barcelona though face plenty of competition for the Norwegian.
The club's president, Joan Laporta, has also made it clear they will not break the bank to bring in new faces. He told Mundo Deportivo : "I insist, I will not talk about specific players but I can tell you that we will not carry out any operation that puts the institution at risk."
