Arsenal striker Alexandre Lacazette is a possible target for Roma this summer because they can’t afford a move for PSG’s Mauro Icardi.
Lacazette is set to enter the final year of his contract at the Emirates this summer, and so far, there have been no indications that Arsenal will look to extend his deal.
As a result, the Frenchman has been linked with a move away from the club, with several sides in Europe believed to be contemplating a deal.
Roma can now be added to that list, according to Corriere Dello Sport, who say the club are looking at Lacazette as part of a major restructure being planned.
The newspaper explains that the club are looking to achieve ‘balance’, especially on an economic level, and this is something Director of Football, Tiago Pinto, has ‘embraced’.
The plan is to let several players leave the club, with several coming to the end of their contracts and opening up some room in the wage bill as a result.
One who is likely to leave is Eden Dzeko, who has a year left on his contract but at this point looks ‘inevitable’ to move to pastures new.
That would free up €14m on the wage bill, and Roma’s plan is to replace him with a ‘top-level’ striker with a more ‘reasonable’ salary.
They would like Mauro Icardi, but he doesn’t fit into the budget, and this is where Lacazette comes in, with it stated the Arsenal striker is ‘being considered’ as the alternative.
His deal at the Emirates expires in 2022, so there is potentially a deal there to be done, with Pinto expecting to have at least €20m to work with in the wage budget.
