London: Arsenal are close to agreeing a club-record deal to sign Alexandre Lacazette from Lyon — with the two clubs now just euros four million (pounds 3.5 million) apart in their valuations for the striker. It is hoped that a deal will be announced early next week.

Arsenal are believed to have now offered more than euros 50 million (pounds 44 million) plus significant add-ons for Lacazette to get closer to Lyon’s original asking price of euros 55 million plus euros 12 million in additional payments. It appears that Lyon have agreed to come closer to what Arsenal are prepared to pay partly because the Premier League club have increased their bid from the euros 40 million they initially offered.

Lacazette, 26, had already agreed a deal to join Atletico Madrid this summer but that move was scuppered by the Court of Arbitration in Sport upholding a Fifa transfer ban preventing the Spanish club from registering players until January.

Nevertheless, it remained possible that Lacazette would still sign for Atletico but that has also been further complicated by coach Diego Simeone’s interest in bringing Diego Costa back from Chelsea.

Arsenal’s renewed interest in Lacazette, who they tried to sign last summer, has therefore given the France international another option. Meanwhile, Alexis Sanchez fears Arsenal are prepared to let him enter the final 12 months of his contract as he waits to find out whether he will be allowed to leave the Emirates.

But Sanchez could make a final attempt to force an exit by threatening to walk away for free next year if Arsenal reject an offer from Manchester City.

Tottenham Hotspur are ready to launch a bid for Bournemouth striker Josh King following the south coast club’s spending spree. Bournemouth broke their transfer record to sign Nathan Ake for pounds 20 million from Chelsea yesterday and including wages that deal, -together with the free-transfer signing of Jermain Defoe, will cost well in excess of pounds 50 million. Goalkeeper Asmir Begovic has also joined for around pounds 10 million.

Mauricio Pochettino’s need for a forward who can play across the front has been increased by the fact that Son Heung-min could miss the start of the season after breaking an arm and Erik Lamela is out until October due to his hip problem. King scored 16 Premier League goals last season and Bournemouth are likely to demand pounds 30 million for the 25-year-old.

— The Telegraph Group Limited, London 2017