Atletico Madrid chasing Alexandre Lacazette for two years - Lyon president

Lyon president Jean-Michel Aulas has said Atletico Madrid have been chasing Alexandre Lacazette for the last two years.

Aulas is due to meet with Lacazette, who has scored 24 Ligue 1 goals this season, and the player's advisors on Friday to discuss the forward's future at Lyon where he has a contract through to 2019.

RMC reported on Thursday that Lacazette, who turns 26 this month, is keen to join Atletico, who have tabled a €40 million bid as they wait for the outcome of their appeal against a transfer ban with the Court of Arbitration for Sport.

"We've been talking to Atletico Madrid about Alexandre Lacazette for two years," Aulas told RMC.

"Perhaps Alexandre would like to stay. We haven't spoken about it directly. I'll see him [on Friday], and we'll know more after that."

Lyon, who issued a statement last summer claiming Arsenal had bid €35m, said Atletico face competition for the striker.

"Atletico aren't the only ones to have made offers or shown an interest in Lacazette," he said. "We turned down €40m two years ago. We're going to do everything to keep him. It'll take very high offers to take Alexandre away from us."

Arsenal have continued to be linked with Lacazette, although the player told media this week that he would only join a club in the Champions League, which may rule them out of the race if they cannot force their way back into the Premier League's top four.

Borussia Dortmund, now guaranteed a top-four finish in the Bundesliga, have also been suggested as a possible destination.

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