Lacazette is Simeone’s top target as he looks to sign a striker this summer

Alexander Lacazette is Atletico Madrid head coach Diego Simeone’s top target as he looks to sign a striker this summer, according to Spanish media outlet Sport. 

Atletico scored the least number of goals among the top seven sides in La Liga last season. Alvaro Morata finished the season as the club’s top scorer with just 12 goals, the lowest total for the club’s leading goalscorer in any given campaign since 1999.

Simeone would like to retain the spine of his team especially in the defensive areas of his side. He sees Jan Oblak, Jose Gimenez and Thomas Partey as indispensable members of his team but would like to add a centre forward who is capable of scoring goals and working hard for his side. Atletico have historically always had great strikers like Sergio Aguero, Fernando Torres and Diego Forlan.

The Rojiblancos boss has identified Arsenal’s Alexander Lacazette as his primary target this summer. The Frenchman did not have his best season last year, scoring twelve goals and providing seven assists in all competitions.

He enjoyed his best season at Arsenal in Unai Emery’s first campaign at the club when he scored 19 goals and provided 13 assists across all competitions. The Gunners will listen to offers for the former Lyon striker who has two years remaining on his deal with the club.

The Madrid based club are facing financial troubles due to the pandemic and are working on a limited budget in the current transfer window. They seem to be unwilling to do a swap deal with Arsenal that would see Lacazette move to the Wanda Metropolitano and Partey, the North London side’s primary transfer target, head to the Emirates. 

They are more inclined to include one of Thomas Lemar, Vitolo or Angel Correa in any deal for Lacazette but the North London side are unlikely to be interested in any of these players.