Arsenal have tonight confirmed their second signing of the summer transfer window, with the big-money acquisition of Alexandre Lacazette from Olympique Lyonnais.
Having already acquired wing-back Sead Kolasinac from Schalke, Arsene Wenger has added the in-demand Frenchman to his attack for what is thought to be a club record fee of £46.5 million.
Wenger was understandably delighted to have finally got his man:
“We are very happy to have Alexandre join our group. 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 History
A product of the Lyon youth system, Lacazette made his debut for the club’s senior side in May 2010.
Mainly utilised as a winger for the next three seasons, the Frenchman flitted in and out of the first XI, producing just eight goals and six assists in 69 Ligue 1 outings, with 27 of those arriving off the bench.
However, Lacazette’s career took a turn for the better in the summer of 2013 after the-then cash-strapped Lyon were forced to sell their main striker, Lisandro Lopez.
Shifted into a centre-forward role, he never looked back. Utilised either as part of a front two or as a lone striker, the Gunners new boy has racked up an eye-catching 91 goals and 16 assists in 133 league appearances across the last four seasons, with a career-high 28 strikes last time out.
On the international stage, Lacazette represented France at every youth level from U16 to U21, scoring 19 times in 58 appearances.
The 26-year-old has since turned out on 11 occasions for the senior side, scoring his first – and only – international goal against Denmark in 2015.
The Prospects
As witnessed last season, Wenger seemed undecided over the lone striker role. The Gunners boss began with Alexis Sanchez up front before alternating Olivier Giroud and Danny Welbeck in the latter stages of 2016/17.
Lacazette looks likely to be the answer. Standing five foot nine, he’s certainly not a like-for-like replacement for Giroud – he won just 36% of his aerial duels last season (Giroud registered 55.7%) and scored twice from headers.
Instead, the new boy’s pace, work-rate and ability to run the channels will allow Arsenal to press from the front more efficiently – tellingly, Lacazette registered 31 successful tackles last term, more than any forward in the Premier League.
Considering that Giroud and Welbeck started 11 and eight league matches respectively in the previous campaign, Lacazette’s style of play, allied with that hefty price tag, certainly suggests that he’s set to command a regular role for the north London outfit.
From a Fantasy perspective, his potential from the spot could elevate the Frenchman in the Arsenal pecking order. He scored 11 penalties in all competitions last season and has netted 23 of 28 attempts across his career.
Looking at the new arrival’s goal conversion rate since being utilised through the middle from 2013/14 onwards, figures of 17.8%, 28.1%, 22.1% and last year’s 33.3% highlight his predatory nature.
To put that into perspective, Lacazette’s rate in 2016/17 bettered all regular starting strikers in the Premier League.
Indeed, Manchester City’s Gabriel Jesus – heralded as a similarly clinical finisher – produced his seven goals from 10 appearances and 24 attempts – a conversion rate of 29.2.
Lacazette goes to the trouble of explaining his ruthless finishing in his first Arsenal interview this evening.
“Every time I take a shot at goal it’s because I believe I can score. I don’t just shoot for the sake of it. I always try to choose the best option, whether that is to pass or to shoot. I also try to keep as calm as possible. All that is achieved by a lot of hard work in training.”
It’s worth noting that, while he produced just three assists in 2016/17, Lacazette created a chance for team-mates every 47.2 minutes. Manchester United’s Wayne Rooney – as the most creative FPL forward last season – topped the ranks with a rate of 45.3. Meanwhile, Chelsea’s Diego Costa, who ended the season with 11 Fantasy assists (7 in Opta), produced a key pass every 73.5 minutes.
Of course, for all his impressive numbers, these were recorded in a different environment. It remains to be seen just how quickly Lacazette’s adapts to his new surrounds and the rigours of the Premier League.
Likely to be priced around 10.0 in Fantasy Premier League, Lacazette should benefit from Arsenal’s lack of Champions League matches, allowing Wenger to rest his main men for domestic duties as he eyes up a bid for the title.
Yet the future of Alexis Sanchez may ultimately determine how we assess the Gunners next season. If last term’s top-scoring FPL player chooses to stay and is again listed as a midfielder, his proven ability as a Fantasy asset could be difficult to ignore from the outset at least, allowing us time to assess Lacazette’s contribution.
Indeed, the Frenchman’s ability to press from the front could allow Sanchez and Mesut Ozil more freedom in the central support roles should Wenger keep the 3-4-2-1 formation. Having scored in each of his final two appearances, including the FA Cup winner against Chelsea, Aaron Ramsey could be another name in the mix next time out.
Nonetheless, there’s no doubt that the new boy’s chances of hitting the ground running have been boosted by a kind opening schedule. Arsenal offer home clashes with Leicester City, Bournemouth, West Brom and Brighton in addition to a trip to Stoke City in the first seven Gameweeks.
That early run could provide the catalyst for goals and points. It could even tempt Fantasy managers to overlook Harry Kane of Spurs and Jesus as the weapons of choice in attack.
Further Reference
Alexandre Lacazette TransferMarkt
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