Lyon striker Alexandre Lacazette has admitted he is happy to secure a transfer to either the Premier League or La Liga if he’s to move away from France.

This is potentially good news for Liverpool, who are reportedly ready to battle with Arsenal for the £15 million-rated marksman, per Yahoo (h/t Joe Short of the Daily Express). Lacazette appears open to offers, as he noted: “Between England and Spain, I don’t have a preference. I dreamt about Barca when I was little, but once you grow up you know you cannot be on just one club. I will not be leaving for the sake of it, I have medium and long term aims, after that we will see what is best for me.”

Manager Brendan Rodgers may be looking to strengthen his striking options after Mario Balotelli and Rickie Lambert‘s combined total of one Premier League goal at the halfway point of the season. Lacazette is a prime candidate—he is fast, skillful, makes quality runs and is lethal in front of goal—to aid the side’s quest to retain Champions League football next campaign.

The 23-year-old has scored 20 goals and provided five assists in 25 appearances across all competitions this season, per WhoScored.com. He averages one contribution to a Lyon goal every game and is five strikes clear of Andre-Pierre Gignac in the Ligue 1 top scorers chart.

Lacazette believes it is “more likely” he will head abroad than join French powerhouses Paris Saint-Germain, per Short. Liverpool’s rumoured interest in Wilfried Bony, per Barry Glendenning of The Guardian, is all but dead with the news he is likely to join Manchester City, as reported by BBC Sport, meaning Rodgers will likely need to find an alternative source of goals as the business end of the year arrives.

The stern manager could also use a pair of helping hands when trying to stop the ball going in at the other end. Alex Harris of the Daily Star believes the Reds are in “pole position” to sign Marc-Andre ter Stegen from Barcelona, but significant obstacles are also likely to stand in front of this deal.

Barca‘s transfer ban stops them from signing players until January 2016, so it’s unlikely the club will want to let their young stopper depart. Granted, Ter Stegen has failed to oust Claudio Bravo from the starting lineup this season, but the 22-year-old is nine years the Chilean’s junior and should be viewed as a long-term investment.

Rodgers missed an excellent opportunity to replace Simon Mignolet and Brad Jones with Victor Valdes heading to Manchester United. The World Cup winner possesses the leadership skills and all-round quality Liverpool need. Instead, he is set to challenge David De Gea’s No. 1 spot at Old Trafford, per United’s official website.

Supporters may also be anxious by the confirmation of Steven Gerrard‘s exit at the end of the season. Rodgers believes he can unearth suitable quality to replace the Liverpool captain, however, per David Maddock of the Daily Mirror: “It is the critique for this club. This is Liverpool—we have to be in the running for the world’s best. There is no doubt that we need to replace that quality. Either through some of our young players getting an opportunity or players stepping up to the mark, but also bringing in that quality.”

B/R UK pundit Andy Brassell recently considered possible January signings for Rodgers’ side:

Liverpool have already missed out on Xherdan Shaqiri during the current window, per talkSPORT. Although the Swiss star cannot be considered a priority for the club, his transfer to Inter Milan is a reminder that Rodgers and the board don’t have time to waste in the open market.

Lacazette has the power to significantly improve Liverpool’s goalscoring chances. His impressive season all but ensures it won’t be long before one of Europe’s elite snap him up, so if the Merseysiders want him, they must act with haste. 

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