News

Lyon Veteran Alexandre Lacazette Transfers To Arsenal On Record Deal

ROME, ITALY - MARCH 16: Alexandre Lacazette of Olympique Lyonnais in action during the UEFA Europa League Round of 16 second leg match between AS Roma and Olympique Lyonnais at Stadio Olimpico on March 16, 2017 in Rome, Italy. (Photo by Paolo Bruno/Getty Images )

Arsenal announced on Wednesday that they have signed Lyon forward Alexandre Lacazette to a record-breaking deal.

Alexandre Lacazette Had Been With Lyon Since 2003

According to British publication Metro, the 26-year-old Frenchman — who has spent the last 14 years in Lyon — has agreed to a five-year contract at Emirates Stadium worth approximately £52million ($67 million) to mark the Gunners’ most expensive signing in history.

“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.”

Subscribe to our free weekly newsletter!

A week of sports news in your in-box.
We find the sports news you need to know, so you don't have to.

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.

“The deal is subject to the completion of regulatory processes,” Arsenal added on its website.

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.

The Frenchman is the Gunners’ second signing this summer. Arsenal brought in 24-year-old Bosnian defender Sead Kolasinac on a free transfer from German club Schalke in early June.

ROME, ITALY – MARCH 16: Alexandre Lacazette of Olympique Lyonnais in action during the UEFA Europa League Round of 16 second leg match between AS Roma and Olympique Lyonnais at Stadio Olimpico on March 16, 2017 in Rome, Italy. (Photo by Paolo Bruno/Getty Images )

Pablo Mena

Writer and assistant editor for usports.org. NY Giants and Rangers fan. Film and TV enthusiast (especially Harry Potter and The Office) and lover of foreign languages and cultures.