Arsenal are lining up a £60m bid for Lyon striker Alexandre Lacazette.
According to a report in The Mirror the Gunners are resigned to losing Alexis Sanchez in the summer and have stepped up the hunt for a replacement.
Sanchez is under contract until June 2018, with no sign of a breakthrough in contract talks the club are ready to sell the striker to a European club rather than an English rival or see his contract run down.
Arsenal were linked with Lacazette last summer but never followed up initial enquires but with 22 goals to his name this season the club have stepped up their interest.
The 25-year-old has scored over 20 goals in each of the last two seasons with Arsenal confident that he could quickly fit into their style of play.
Liverpool have also been linked with the Lyon striker but the attractions of London and Arsenal’s well established French links will make them favourites to secure Lacazette’s signing.