Alexandre Lacazette to Arsenal: Lyon owner reveals deal is dead for France striker as Arsene Wenger moves on

The 25-year-old striker was subject to a failed £29m bid earlier in the summer

Arsenal target Alexandre Lacazette returned to action for Lyon this month (Getty)

Alexandre Lacazette will not be joining Arsenal and is likely to stay with Lyon until the end of the season, according to the Ligue 1 club’s chairman Jean-Michel Aulas.

The 25-year-old striker was subject to a failed £29m bid earlier in the summer and scored a hat-trick for Lyon against Nancy on on the opening weekend of the domestic season as he awaits an update from the French club’s hierarchy.

After Arsenal suffered a 4-3 opening weekend defeat by Liverpool at the Emirates, supporters once again called upon manager Arsene Wenger to dip into the transfer market during the stalemate with reigning champions Leicester City on Saturday.

Asked by French television station BFM.TV if Lacazette will remain at the Parc Olympique Lyonnais, Aulas replied: “Of course. Alexander is one of the senior players in the team. First, we intervened very, very early but that's due to the fact that the economic situation of Olympique Lyonnais had dramatically improved.

“Then only using rules not traditionally employed in the liberal world, as wages talking on the radio, on television, not to hurt anyone. Things went well. To progress, it may account for its mistakes and learn from its success.”

Lacazette, meanwhile, told Canal+: “If offers come in that one cannot refuse, I don’t want to refuse them. If not, I am happy at Lyon. Asked if he had received any offers from Arsenal since the rejected offer last month Lacazette replied: “Ask the president.”

Having already signed Granit Xhaka, Takuma Asano and Rob Holding for a combined £32.5m (Asano’s fee remains undisclosed), Wenger could be about to splash out over £65m on Lacazette and defender Shkodran Mustafi in a bid to strengthen both his attack and defence.