Since the arrival of Mesut Ozil in 2013 and before this summer, Arsenal have gone on to spend more than £30 million each on three other players. Prior to the German’s arrival at the Emirates, it was unheard of for Arsene Wenger to splash such cash.
Alexis Sanchez, Shkodran Mustafi and Granit Xhaka have all arrived at the club within the past three years, with the latter two joining just last summer. The latest addition, Alexandre Lacazette has eclipsed that spending.
The Gunners broke their transfer record to land the France international from Olympique Lyon in a £45m deal – a substantial amount that could prove risky. With that said, here are five reasons why he’s bound to succeed at Arsenal.
#1 Scoring record speaks for itself
Tipped for a bright future by former Liverpool and Lyon manager Gerard Houllier, it’s fair to say that Lacazette has finally got the move to a ‘European powerhouse’ he deserved. That’s not saying that Lyon aren’t a big club, they are. However, the opportunity to play for a team like Arsenal in the Premier League is one that many Frenchman dream of.
Still just 26 years old, Lacazette has already scored 129 goals in 275 appearances for Lyon in all competitions. The past three seasons at Lyon has seen the forward net over 20 Ligue 1 goals in each campaign – a record that betters Edinson Cavani of Paris Saint-Germain.
Last season saw Lacazette enjoy his best year in French football to date. In 30 league appearances, the France international finished with 28 goals, whilst creating three. Not only that, in eight Europa League outings, he scored six times.
Arsenal have been crying out for an out-and-out goalscorer. Lacazette may just be that player.
#2 French contingent makes for an easy settling in period
During their heydey, Arsene Wenger was known for signing French players. Lacazette comes into an Arsenal side that has the likes of Olivier Giroud, Francis Coquelin, Mathieu Debuchy and Laurent Koscielny.
It’s always good for new arrivals to see players from their home country in the same club. It eases the fears and any potential problems they may have with moving to a foreign country, especially if they speak very little of the language.
At Arsenal, there’s that family atmosphere around the club. Outside training and football hours, players still meet up to go out for food or attend an event. This will certainly help Lacazette feel welcomed.
#3 World-class players around him
Had Alexandre Lacazette joined the club earlier in his career – prior to Mesut Ozil – then the Frenchman may have found it difficult to fit in. Now, he’s surrounded by world class players such as the World Cup winner, and Alexis Sanchez.
It’s extremely important that Arsene Wenger does everything he can to keep hold of the duo. With Lacazette in there, Arsenal could become one of the most threatening sides in European football, behind Barcelona and Real Madrid.
Not only that, the Gunners have Granit Xhaka, Laurent Koscielny and Petr Cech amongst the ranks. This could be Arsenal’s best ever team since the side that managed the 49-match unbeaten campaign.
#4 Thrives under pressure
As mentioned above, Lacazette was destined for the top. For the past five years, he arguably carried Olympique Lyon on his own. His 129 goals in all competitions make him Lyon’s second highest goal-getter, behind legendary midfielder, Juninho.
He’s surpassed Karim Benzema, Lisandro Lopez and Bafetimbi Gomis, neither of whom hit three-figures during their time at Lyon. Take Lacazette out of the team, and you have a rather average side, especially going forward.
Most French pundits had predicted Lyon to miss out on Europe. However, Lacazette made a statement with his hat-trick on the opening day of the season. From then on, the 26-year-old was on fire, eventually finishing behind PSG's Edinson Cavani in the race to become Ligue 1’s top goalscorer in the 2016/17 campaign.
Many had predicted AS Roma to advance to the Europa League quarter-finals last season, but instead, they succumbed to an aggregate defeat to Lyon. During that game, Lacazette was majestic. His injury time rocket was the pick of the bunch which saw the French club take a commanding lead as they eventually progressed to the semi-finals, where they lost to Ajax.
It’s likely that Lacazette will become the main striker for Arsenal, and with that comes great responsibility. Whoever leads the line at the Gunners, will always be compared to Thierry Henry. There’s no doubting his goalscoring abilities and so we could yet see the best striker at Arsenal since the departure of the Frenchman.
#5 He’s not just your fox-in-the-box
Scoring 129 goals in all competitions in 275 is no easy feat for any striker and although that may lead you on to suggest Alexandre Lacazette is a fox-in-the-box, he’s so much more than that.
Yes, he can score with his right foot, his weaker left foot and a header inside the area, but what perhaps goes unnoticed is his abilities outside the 18-yard box.
The 26-year-old has shown he can score from distance – and whilst all his efforts won’t rattle that back of the net, the majority will be on target. Something which can’t always be said for Olivier Giroud outside the area.
And although a stocky build, Lacazette is also good with both feet on the ball. The Frenchman can certainly dribble and again, whilst the ball may not end up in the back of the net, Lacazette will get the fans up off their feet. And that’s what Arsenal supporters want to see.
