Lacazette hits out at Lyon president over contract negotiations

PARIS (Reuters) - Alexandre Lacazette was hurt and disappointed with his Oympique Lyonnais president after Jean-Michel Aulas unveiled details of their contract negotiations during the close season, the France international has said.

In June, Aulas said he was offering Lacazette a contract extension with a gross salary of four million euros ($4.48 million) a year, adding the figure would make the striker the club's best paid player.

Lacazette, whose contract was due to expire in 2018, signed a one-year extension and now earns 4.2 million euros a year. It was not what he and Aulas had discussed in September 2014.

"I was expecting something (then). He had told me that it was too much after just one full season but that if I confirmed, we could discuss on that basis," Lacazette, who scored 27 league goals last season, told sports daily L'Equipe on Monday.

Aulas, however, had not changed his position when talks started at the end of last season, according to Lacazette.

"I would have preferred that he did just like in any negotiation. He could have told me 'it's too much', simply. He should not have used that method (of disclosing the offer)," he explained.

"It hurts. His behaviour hurt me and disappointed me," added Lacazette, who also regrets that his coach Hubert Fournier did not support him.

"It affects you. You want to think about something else but you just can't," he said.

The 24-year-old Lavazette, who scored one goal from eight caps with France, has been struggling since the start of the season, being hampered by back pains and scoring once in six league matches.

(Reporting by Julien Pretot; Editing by XXXX)