Lyon Veteran Alexandre Lacazette Transfers To Arsenal On Record Deal

“We are very happy to have Alexandre join our group,” manager Arsene Wenger said in a statement published on Arsenal’s website. “He has shown over a number of years that he can score goals and that he is a very efficient finisher. As well, he has very interesting technical qualities and a strong character. So he is a guy who is a great addition for us, and someone who will help us challenge at the top level this season.”

The club added in its statement that Lacazette will likely make his debut in the Emirates Cup on July 29 vs. Benfica or July 30 vs. Sevilla.

Lacazette, a Lyon native, joined the club’s youth squad in 2003 at the age of 12 before making 275 appearances for the team, in which he scored 129 goals, most of them in the last four seasons.

Last season, Lacazette recorded 37 goals across all tournaments. Arsenal hope he will help the club regain its UEFA Champions League status.

 Metro reported that Lacazette has cited fellow 26-year-old Frenchman Francis Coquelin — who plays for Arsenal as a midfielder — as one of the main reasons that influenced his decision to join the Gunners.

Lacazette revealed that he has kept in touch with Coquelin after the two helped France win the European U19 Championship in their home country back in 2010. Lacazette scored the game winner in the final.

“We’ve had a lot of contact over the last few years and even more over the last few weeks, of course, since it became increasingly likely that I would come to Arsenal,” Lacazette said of his relationship with Coquelin. “He has said only good things about Arsenal, which is not surprising because he wanted me to join the club. Even without that I still really wanted to come here.”

Lacazette continued: “He stressed that it was a great club located in a fantastic city. He said I would not regret my decision to move here because of the people I’d be working with and, of course, the fans.”

According to ESPN FC, Lacazette was considering staying with Lyon until January 2018 and then signing for Atletico Madrid after their transfer ban was revoked. ESPN FC added that Manchester United, Borussia Dortmund and Liverpool were three other teams that were targeting the forward.