Arsenal has another bid for a striker rejected. Can Arsene Wenger sign one before the Premier League season starts?

Most clubs do their transfer business behind closed doors, but Olympique Lyon is notoriously honest about their dealings in public. That came up on Tuesday when they announced they’d rejected a bid from Arsenal for striker Alexandre Lacazette. The club referred to him as “irreplaceable.”

Of course, every player has a price, but Lacazette’s might be a bit too steep for Arsenal. Seeing as they’ve been priced out of Gonzalo Higuain and rejected by Jamie Vardy, they’re starting to run a bit short on realistic options to upgrade from Olivier Giroud.

Arsenal fans have been calling for the team to spend money on a top striker for years now. It seems like Arsene Wenger finally agrees. But so far, he’s struggling to actually land one. He’s got a month left to do it, but he’d probably like to get one in for a preseason training session or two, not three games into the season. And if he can pull that off, Arsenal supporters will see their team as title contenders.

Stoke has announced the signing of Joe Allen. (Stoke City)

MLS fans voted Kaka as All-Star captain. (@MLS)

Wondering where Wayne Rooney will play for England? Sam Allardyce says that’s up to Jose Mourinho. (Guardian)

Liverpool defender Mamadou Sakho was sent home from the team’s training camp for a bad attitude. (Telegraph)

Sporting Kansas City has rejected a bid from Olympiacos for Dom Dwyer. (ESPN FC)

Awful news out of Portland: Nat Borchers needs surgery for an Achilles injury, and is almost certainly out for the season. At 35, it’s tough to see Borchers coming back from this injury as a top MLS center back. (Timbers)

West Ham’s Aaron Cresswell will miss three to four months with a knee injury. (West Ham)

Michael Lewis on William Cox, one of the most important pioneers of pro soccer in America. (Guardian)

Chris Nee on Austrian wonderkid Louis Schaub, who faces a make-or-break season. (In Bed With Maradona)

Wunmi Bello on the challenges deaf footballers face in Africa. (Unusual Efforts)

Please don’t take anything in this section too seriously, for your own sanity.

Manchester United wants Leo Bonucci and they’re willing to pay up. (Manchester Evening News)

Even though Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang says he only wants to play for Dortmund or Real Madrid, Manchester City haven’t given up. (Bild)

Atlético Madrid is close to signing Kevin Gamiero from Sevilla, with Luciano Vietto going the other way. (AS)

Mauro Icardi isn’t ruling out going to Napoli as Gonzalo Higuain’s replacement. (Football Italia)

Manchester City thinks they’ll be signing Leroy Sane from Schalke. (Mirror)

Barcelona is looking into Carlos Bacca as a backup striker option. (Mail)

Juventus beat Tottenham Hotspur in a friendly in Australia. (Cartilage Free Captain)