Alexandre Lacazette drops Barcelona transfer hint after confirming plans to leave Lyon

Lyon striker Alexandre Lacazette has confirmed his plans to leave the Ligue 1 side at the end of the current season. The France international added that he would like to play for Barcelona one day but his quotes will also put Arsenal on alert after Arsene Wenger already tried to secure his services during the last summer transfer window.

The 25-year-old was already linked with Barcelona themselves, Paris Saint Germain, West Ham and especially Arsenal last summer after garnering a reputation as one of the most clinical forwards around Europe.

Last July the Lyon president confirmed that they turned down an offer worth €35m (£30.1m, $37.6m) from the Gunners – as following Samuel Umtiti's transfer to the Nou Camp they didn't want to part ways with another major asset.

Lacazette thus signed a new deal at the Ligue 1 side while Barcelona and Arsenal bolstered their attacks with the respective additions of former Valencia star Paco Alcacer and Lucas Perez from Deportivo la Coruna.

However, Lacazette said that he will be ready for the next step in his career in the coming summer following another impressive first part of the campaign at Lyon, having scored 21 goals in 24 appearances, including 18 in the Ligue 1.

"I think that the right moment has arrived. I think that this summer will be the moment when I must have a change of air and discover something else, although always with the idea of moving forward and progressing as a footballer and as a person," he told Canal Football Club. "I want to continue working and I'll hope that there will be some good opportunities on the way this summer."

The Frenchman admitted that his preferred destination would be Barcelona, despite being aware that his playing time at the Nou Camp could be limited due to the presence of Lionel Messi, Luis Suarez and Neymar in Luis Enrique's attack.

"They are a very big club. They have aliens up front. It would be a dream. If that happens, great, but I am not here to say that I will take a place from Luis Suarez. But I would like to play for them one day."

Yet, one way or another, any suitor will have to break the bank to secure his services as outspoken Lyon president Jean-Michel Aulas revealed in January that he had received a new offer worth €70m for the striker.

"We want to get closer to the league leaders and to go all out in the Europa League as it could be an opportunity for Olympique Lyonnais. Of course, Alexandre is indispensable, like Nabil [Fekir], like Corentin Tolisso, and like all the players for whom we have had offers," Aulas told RMC. "Right now, we have six or seven offers for our best players. It's true that the offers for Alexandre are between €40m, from West Ham last year, and €70m right now."