Arsenal close in on Lacazette

    Arsenal are keen to land Lyon striker Alexandre LacazetteArsenal have told Lyon they are willing to pay £45m plus add-ons for striker Alexandre Lacazette, Sky sources understand.Sources close to the France international are confident a deal can be done between the two clubs, despite Lyon president Jean-Michel Aulasdeclaring earlier week he expected Lacazette to remain at the club.Lacazette has emerged asone of Arsene Wenger's primary transfer targets this summeras Arsenal try to put last season's failure to qualify for the Champions League behind them.Last month, Lacazette said he would only move to a club who are playing in Europe's premier club competition but it appears the26-year-old's stance on the matter has softened.Lyon's president has expressed an interest in signing Arsenal's Olivier GiroudThe free-scoring striker netted 37 times in45 games last season and has two years left on his existing Lyon deal.Lacazette had verbally agreed to join Atletico Madrid this summerbut the move fell through after the Court of Arbitrationfor Sport confirmed three weeks ago that Atletico would be banned from registering players during this window.Lacazette boasted the highest chance conversion rate in Europe's top five leagues last season (38.9 per cent). His record of 28 league goals last term was more than the combined tally of Arsenal quartet Olivier Giroud, Theo Walcott, DannyWelbeck and Lucas Perez.