Former Arsenal star could help secure £24m January transfer boost for Mikel Arteta

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Arsenal were the biggest spenders in England over the summer. The club spent £149million on Ben White, Aaron Ramsdale, Takehiro Tomiyasu, Albert Sambi Lokonga, Martin Odegaard and Nuno Tavares in their bid to become the title-challenging club that they once were.

With such a significant amount of money spent, it is no surprise to hear that the Gunners are looking to offload some of their out of favour players to soften the hit on their finances.

Manager Mikel Arteta has invested heavily to bring through a fresh wave of talent, with all of the 2021 incomings aged under 23, and he is keen to give young players at the club already opportunities too.

The likes of Bukayo Saka and Emile Smith-Rowe have flourished at the Emirates Stadium this season and they have quickly become two of the first names on the team sheet having been given regular minutes.

As a result, it means that some of the more experienced players at the club are left watching on from the bench which is not logical for them nor the club if they are keen to bring in some funds.

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One player who has rarely been played this season is Alexandre Lacazette who could be on his way to Inter Milan in January according to Gazzetta dello Sport, but whether the move goes ahead or not depends on a former Arsenal player.

Lacazette has made just two league appearances from the bench this season which accumulates to a total playing time of 51 minutes.

The French forward has been a regular starter since he arrived from Lyon in 2017, but Arteta’s system of having a lone striker means the 30-year-old has been pushed down the pecking order by Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang.

Inter are keen to sign the striker and give him an opportunity to bounce back to form in the Serie A, but they are thought to only be willing to do so if they release former Gunners star Alexis Sanchez from his contract.

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The Chilean made 122 appearances in north London and quickly became a fan’s favourite until he was sold to Manchester United in 2018.

Sanchez’ two-year spell at Old Trafford was a major disappointment as he fell well below his expected level and he was soon sent out on loan to Inter, who then made the deal permanent on a free transfer.

But now in his third season at the club, the versatile forward’s opportunities have become scarce and thus he is keen to look for a new club where he is guaranteed game time.

The 32-year-old’s contract in the Serie A expires in 2023, but his club are willing to cut that short if they are able to bring in a replacement forward.

Lacazette is set to leave Arsenal on a free transfer in 2022 when his contract expires, however, Arteta’s side may be keen to recoup a fee for the forward in January after their summer shopping spree.

According to transfermarkt, Lacazette is worth £19.8m, and if he is sold then he would also save the Gunners £4.7m in wages according to Sportrac.

In order to be able to sign Lacazette, who has scored 50 goals in the Premier League, Inter will have to sell or release one of their current players to open up a spot in their squad.

With Eddie Nketiah, Gabriel Martinelli and Folarin Balogun all capable of replacing Aubameyang if the striker picks up an injury or needs a rest, Arteta may not be reluctant to sell Lacazette to Inter and, according to football.london, they expect him to leave at the end of the season anyway.

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