Lyon president interested in Arsenal's Giroud, sets Lacazette price at €65M

Lyon has turned the tables on Arsenal.

Following weeks of speculation linking forward Alexandre Lacazette with a move to the Premier League side, Lyon president Jean-Michel Aulas indicated that his club is considering an approach for Arsenal forward Olivier Giroud.

The French forward allegedly told Aulas that he's holding out hope of becoming Arsenal's primary option up front next season and that he is willing to wait until later in the summer before deciding his future.

"There has been an approach, at some point, for Giroud," Aulas told L'Equipe, as translated by ESPNFC. "He is a boy that we like, who scores lots of goals and who has a lot of ambition for Russia (the World Cup).

"He told me personally that he wanted to take his time, that things were not completely defined with Arsenal, that he had a secret hope that he would be the No. 1 striker next season.

"The key is Arsene Wenger. We are watching. We will try to sign a top European attacker very quickly."

Giroud told reporters earlier this month that he's not averse to returning to France, but continues to see a future for himself in the Premier League where he "still has titles to win."

His role for the upcoming season will be paramount when deciding his future in north London, especially after a season where he was commonly reduced to a back-up role.

Meanwhile, Aulas reaffirmed Arsenal's interest in Lacazette, saying that manager Wenger engaged in talks with Lyon adviser Gerard Houllier.

He added that a transfer to Atletico Madrid remains possible and that Arsenal would have to surpass the Spanish side's offer - which fell through following the Court of Arbitration for Sport's decision to uphold the Liga team's transfer ban.

"Everyone knows that the offer from Atletico is €53 million plus €12 million in bonuses. That is €65 million," Aulas said.

"As the Arsenal representatives have been told, a deal would occur around there. The price for a player who scores between 25 and 30 goals every year is at the very least that."