Arsenal complete Â£52m signing of Lyon superstar Alexandre Lacazette in stunning club record deal

06 Jul, 2017 By Agencies

Category: Football
Tag : Arsenal / Lacazette Font size -16+

Arsenal have confirmed the £52m record signing of France striker Alexandre Lacazette .

Lacazette has joined on a five year contract from Lyon and beats the previous transfer record set by Mesut Ozil's £42.5m deal in 2013.

Arsenal expect Lacazette to join up on their pre-season trip to Australia and China and the France international has already set his sights on helping the club back into the Champions League.

Lacazette was convinced to join Arsenal by the influence of Arsene Wenger who tried to get him last year but has finally got his man.

The 26-year-old has landed a bumper £200,000-per-week deal that will make him the top earner at the Emirates.

A club statement said: “Alexandre Lacazette has agreed to join us on a long-term contract, for an undisclosed fee.

“He is expected to travel with the tour party to Sydney this weekend and is likely to make his home debut in the Emirates Cup on July 29 or July 30.

“The deal is subject to the completion of regulatory processes.”

The Gunners swooped in for the France international after Atletico Madrid's transfer ban scuppered a move to La Liga.

Lacazette joins Sead Kolasinac as part of the Arsenal rebuild after missing out on a top four finish and Champions League football.

Monaco’s Thomas Lemar could be the next target, while Leicester winger Riyad Mahrez is a back-up option.

Wenger will now set upon completing a mouthwatering front four by adding a winger to Lacazette, Mesut Ozil and Alexis Sanchez.

Mirror Sport can reveal that Monaco have quoted Arsenal a staggering £80m price tag for Lemar as they do not want to sell and that deal now seems increasingly unlikely unless a compromise can be reached.

That has opened the door for Arsenal to go for Mahrez who is keen on a switch to the Emirates with Leicester braced for an approach but no official bid has been made.

Wenger has already publicly admitted his admiration for Mahrez as Arsenal look to shake up the squad even after Lacazette’s arrival shatters the previous record set when they signed Mesut Ozil for £42.5m in 2013.

Arsenal have now given up on Monaco’s Kylian Mbappe and the hope is that may ease the French club’s position on Lemar.

But Arsenal are also waiting on the futures of Alexis Sanchez, Ozil, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Olivier Giroud.

Sanchez and his representatives are due to hold talks with Arsenal this week and there is a growing fear that he is pushing for a move to Manchester City after refusing to commit to a new contract worth in excess of £275,000-a-week at the Emirates.

There is still an offer from China on the table for Sanchez which is understood to be worth more than double Arsenal’s contract and would be far higher than City could pay.

Arsenal remain defiant that they will not sell to a Premier League rival but with only City in the market - Chelsea may yet come back later on - they face a major dilemma whether to sell now or risk losing him for nothing next year.

Ozil is prepared to run down his contract as he wants £350,000-a-week while Oxlade-Chamberlain will not leave this summer but there is no agreement on a new deal in sight even though he only has a year left.

Everton and West Ham have made enquiries about Giroud but Arsenal are unlikely to allow him to go until Sanchez’s future is resolved.

Giroud is believed to favour a move back to France with Marseille watching developments or staying in London. West Ham are ready to offer £20m and give Giroud a four year deal worth £130,000-a-week.

Arsenal have told Hector Bellerin he is going nowhere despite Barcelona's interest with Wenger insisting he has got six years left on his current deal and will not be sold under any circumstances.