Arsenal have held further talks with Lyon over the striker Alexandre Lacazette, who would be a club record £49m signing, plus additional payments, should he decide to come to the Premier League club despite there being no Champions League football at the Emirates nest season.

The 26-year-old is now Arsenal’s most realistic target despite their interest in the 18-year-old Monaco sensation Kylian Mbappe and in a summer when major changes are to be made at the club it looks like Lacazette is there best option for an early acquisition. As reported by Telegraph Sport this month, Arsene Wenger would like Lacazette, Mbappe and his Monaco team-mate Thomas Lemar as he rebuilds his team.

Lacazette is still behind Arsenal striker Olivier Giroud when it comes to the France national team – it was the latter who started in the win over England in Paris this month – but the versatility of the Lyon man makes him a potential replacement for Alexis Sanchez. Lacazette, who has scored at the rate of one in every two games in domestic football in France, can play right across the front three.

Lacazette was due to move to Atletico Madrid before their transfer embargo was upheld and has since had to reassess his options. It would be the first in a series of moves that Wenger would hope will give him a new-look team for his 20th full season at Arsenal.