Arsenal target Alexandre Lacazette wants to stay at Lyon says Hubert Fournier

Lyon manager Hubert Fournier has reiterated the club's desire to retain the talents of Alexandre Lacazette this summer despite reported interest in the striker from several Premier League clubs including Arsenal and Liverpool.

The French international was in stellar form at the Stade de Gerland last year, finishing ahead of Marseille's Andre-Pierre Gignac and Paris Saint-Germain vice-captain Zlatan Ibrahimovic as the top scorer in Ligue 1 with 27 goals in just 33 starts.

Lyon eventually secured a return to the Champions League group stages after finishing second in the French top division, yet fears that they could lose a key asset in Lacazette have been persistently fuelled by a constant stream of transfer speculation suggesting he is being lined up for an imminent move to England.

Reports cited by The Telegraph in June suggested that Arsene Wenger had been shown the green light to launch a £21m move for his services, while Liverpool's own interest looked to have been given a timely boost earlier this month when L'Equipe confirmed that the player has yet to agree terms on an improved contract.

Lyon president Jean-Michel Aulas claimed last week that although he still felt that Lacazette, who only signed a two-year extension to his current deal last September, wanted to stay put for the foreseeable future, he would be forced to seriously consider any bids that arrive worth upwards of €50m (£35.3m).

Fournier, however, is firmer in his belief that the in-demand 24-year-old will not be leaving during the current transfer window and stressed the key role he has to play on several different fronts next season.

"Olympique Lyonnais," he was quoted as saying by Sky Sports during a pre-Emirates Cup press conference when questioned where he thought Lacazette will be playing in 2015/16. "I haven't got much to say. He has said he wants to stay with us.

"Of course some clubs are going to be attracted to the sort of player he is but he is under contract at Lyon and with all of the different competitions we have this season with the Champions League and the domestic French cups, we obviously want to keep him at the club."

Lyon play Arsenal in the first match of the annual Emirates Cup later today (25 July), concluding the short competition against Villarreal on Sunday.

Fournier's side then face double-winners PSG in the French Super Cup at the Stade Saputo in Montreal in early August before starting their quest for a first domestic title in seven years against FC Lorient.