Lyon reject £31m bid from West Ham United for 23-goal striker

West Ham United have failed with a major £31m swoop for France international forward Alexandre Lacazette, according to Le Progres.

The Premier League side, who finished the 2015/16 season in seventh spot in the English top-flight standings following their final day 2-1 defeat to the hands of Stoke City, have been continuously linked with a summer move for the Lyon striker.

The 24-year-old; who has ten international caps for his country, but has been left out of France’s EURO 2016 squad later this summer, scored an impressive 23 goals and provided four further assists in 44 appearances in all competitions for the Ligue 1 outfit this season.

Lacazette, who has been at Lyon for the entirety of his professional career, is wanted by Hammers boss Slaven Bilic as the club’s marquee signing as they move into their new Olympic Stadium ahead of the 2016/17 campaign.

The French club’s owner, Jean-Michel Aulas, told the publication: “Yes. Many, the most important being that of West Ham for 40 million euros (£31million) which we’ve refused.

“I want to keep him but I’m not certain because it’s he who will decide in the end.”