Lyon president Jean-Michel Aulas says his club will not stand in the way if in- demand striker Alexandre Lacazette wants to leave for European football’s elite.
The Ligue 1 club confirmed they had rejected a £29.4million bid from Arsenal for the 25-year-old last summer but seem more open to an exit now.
Lacazette has long been linked with the likes of Real Madrid and this week said the time has arrived for a ‘change of scenery’.
President Aulas looked back to previous high-profile sales made by Lyon in making itclear that he would ‘not object’ to seeing his club’s prime asset depart.
‘If Barcelona or Manchester United one day make an offer commensurate with what Alex is worth to our club, no-one will stand in its way,’ Aulas said.
‘Alex has wanted to play in a great club and Lyon does not object. We are perfectly in line.’
The France striker has hit 21 goals this season but earlier this week said the next transfer window would be ‘the right moment to leave’.
Arsenal have long held an interest in the Frenchman, but Barcelona are also believed to be the player’s favoured potential destination.
But with teams like Liverpool, Atletico Madrid likely to need a new leading striker this summer, it could be a busy transfer window for the forward.
During the 2014/15 campaign, Lacazette scored 27 goals in Ligue 1 to finish top of the scoring charts before following that up with 21 strikes last season.
West Ham also enquired about Lacazette last summer and his open availability is likely to drive more interest from the Premier League this time around.
‘I think that the right moment has arrived to leave,’ Lacazette told Canal+.
‘I think that this summer I will need a change of scenery and discover something else, still with the idea of advancing and progressing in terms of football and as a person.
‘I will continue to work, in the hope that good opportunities will come this summer.’
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