Arsenal suffered a fresh blow last night when Lyons confirmed that Alexandre Lacazette would not be leaving the French club this summer. Arsène Wenger had been hopeful that Lyons would reduce their £42 million valuation of the striker, who has scored five goals in his first two appearances this season.

But Jean-Michel Aulas, the Lyons president, said, “Lacazette will stay with us.” Having failed to persuade Jamie Vardy to sign from Leicester City, Wenger targeted Lacazette and made a bid of €35 million (about £30 million) that Lyons initially did not even deem worthy of a direct response before making a public announcement that they were rejecting it. Despite Wenger being told that Danny Welbeck could return at Christmas, he is short of a striker