Alexandre Lacazette says he’s targeting titles at Arsenal and revealed he’s always dreamed of playing for such a legendary club after watching Thierry Henry and other French players strut their stuff for the Gunners during his youth.
The France international completed his €53 million move from Lyon this afternoon and will join his new teammates for pre-season training in the coming days.
In the meantime, he’s got a few days to soak up the fact he’s just become the record signing for one of the biggest football clubs in the world.
“I am, of course, delighted and very proud too because Arsenal is a legendary club,” he told Arsenal.com in his first official interview.
“Throughout my childhood, thanks to Thierry Henry and other French players, I always dreamed of playing for this club so today that dream has been fulfilled.”
The 26-year-old also touched on why Arsenal proved too tempting an opportunity to turn down.
“Arsenal’s past [was a factor] – I like clubs with a history. Also the fact that the manager has been here for a while shows that it is a stable club which I like. In
“In addition, there are quite a few French players here, which makes it easier to settle in. In my opinion, Arsenal is also the club that plays the best football in England so I really wanted to come here.”
The striker also touched on what Arsenal supporters can expect when he gets up and running in the red and white.
“When I play I like to use my pace and to link up with my team-mates. As a forward, I like to score goals, of course, but that’s not all that I’m about. I love good flowing football where the whole team is engaged.
“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.
“I want to give one hundred per cent in every match. I want to show I’m worthy of the shirt. I want to do everything I can to make sure we win titles. “
BOOMXHAKALACA
Time to bring back Mart Poom out of retirement
What shirt number do we think?
They should give 10 to ozil and collect 11 from ozil to Lacazette.mean Ozil 10: Lacazette 11: and any other number can go to Wilshere
999
Took me a second to translate that.. Genius
Is the direct translation of his name ‘The Cassette’? Coz that’s cool man.
The taped crusader.
Not all heroes mean tapes
Nope, La casette or La cazette is a case used in pottery to protect porcelain from direct contact to fire. Is also used to refer to a small house or a case (for jewellery as an example). Yes, we got a jewellery case.
Well we’ve got to keep the inevitable trophies somewhere…
Jewelry case? Talk about a luxury player!
We might be able to sell him on antiques roadshow if he doesn’t work out
Yes…. Let’s do this….#COYG
DNA tests are in and apparently his white blood cells are actually in the shape of miniature cannons.
I feel like that could be a problem… Surprised he passed the medical!
This is so good! Thanks mein B!
So is my sperm. It’s more common than you might think.
Let’s hope he didn’t watch Zidane at Real Madrid. Can do without that dream
Considering that squad from Zidane’s signing to Beckham’s departure was quite disappointing/underachieving overall…
“…the manager has been here for a while…” understatement of the year. I’m less than a year older than Lacazette, but it’s frightening to think Wenger was appointed when we were both 5.
I like the cut of his jib “Arsenal is a legendary club”. You’re not wrong old bean.
And i like how he already got a dig at chelski, ‘i like clubs that have history’ haha 😀
FIFA players know him as Lacasweat, we know is as a Gunner!
Nice. On a side note, I really hope Giroud doesn’t leave us.
Yep – he’s our longue player. I’ll get my coat……
I think it would be best if he does. Not because he is a bad player; he is good, no, very good. But we are simply unable to use him as a backup option. At some point of time, he would be brought into the first 11, like the last season or the one before that and that would destabilise our fluidity completely. I agree that he does provide important goals but he is not able to do that consistently over a season while changing our game entirely. To me, it’s a big risk then. I actually feel that we… Read more »
We need to be a little bit selfish. Giroud is now 30+ and I know he has strong ambitions for the World Cup. But especially as a sub Giroud can and does shake the game up…. Super sub. Like it or not make him stay.
His intelligence, self belief and maturity shine through. Good signs.
And Laca scores the winning goal that helps Arsenal wins the title…
“I want to show I’m worthy of the shirt.” He must have been watching the Palace game last season
Welcome to the club Lacazette, 2down 2 more to go.
Best of luck and may you win the golden boot and premier league.
We have top 5 costly signings made by Wenger in out squad
Lacazette
Ozil
Sanchez
Xhaka
Mustafi
You can’t be both Wenger in and out, man!
I’m so conflicted
No time for the old in-n-out, droog?
I live in California and 15 mins after reading your post, I’m in a drive thru for In-n-Out.
I’m not joking 😀
And 0 titles 😀
Great attitude.
Ok that’s it, I am very excited now.
Good man.
I’m pissing my pants in excitement! Before Preseason fucking awesome… Now please, please, please… The final two in the next two weeks.. .i can hope
now this is what i call top, top quality. even his interview skills is on par with theo’s.
His speed too is on par with Theo’s.
Song idea for him. “Viva Lacazette”, set to Prince’s “Little Red Corvette”
Fuck me dead! I really thing this move might be a catalyst of how we are perceived and we really might be evolving from our penny pinching habits. I mean, wouldn’t it have been more Wenger-esque to wait on Laca till the end of the transfer window, thinking that- “None of the Manchester Clubs are interested right now, Bayern doesn’t need him, Real and Barca are too big for him, Chelsea aren’t really interested, so I’ll just wait for some time and Lyon would probably lower their asking price, citing that they have already done their business, and would be… Read more »
Not sure why you would think that. We’ve made big-name, big-money signings early on for the last few years – Podolski, Xhaka, Cech, Alexis. The only exception was Ozil but that was because it hinged on RM getting Bale in and T***ham took their time.
I see your point, but we can’t ever catch a break with Strikers.
Higuain, Benzema, Suarez, even the likes of Dybala and Cavani with who we were linked with extensively.
Or, maybe I am way too optimistic for my own good. Ah, well!
G4722 I totally see your point.
Three asterisks?
Hmm….. Twatham?
Really, funG? Remember Suarez, Higuain saga? The striker has been an issue, totally unsolved since dutch skunk left
Many more failed… Even as far back as hazard and Cahill, fiascos, and as for the Suarez debacle… A really poor track record in transfers.
Friend, maybe we are doing the business early to a) convince Sanchez to stay [half full scenario] or b) to prepare for Sanchez leaving [half empty scenario]. Either way, this summer we cannot afford to dally and wait for bargains.
La casera – cus he fizzy
Let’s go get Mahrez now and we will be fine, people. We will be just fine.
Where can I find that polo?
I’m far more excited about this than any grown man in his mid 40s should be.
So many of his goals and near misses remind me of how Wrighty was suddenly one on one with the keeper & passing the ball into the corner.
‘I want to show I’m worthy of wearing the shirt’. Yes.
He sounds like an intelligent man. Hope he emulates Henry. Now someone to stand in for Cazorla
Well he can talk the talk and is being handsomely paid to walk the walk. Fingers crossed he can.
Well about that I’ll like us to get Golovin. I’ve seen him a few times, he’s quality and he’ll come under £20m i think
Seems very scripted to me “always dreamed of playing for this club”… so thats why you agreed a deal with A.Madrid? Bet he would have signed in a heartbeat for Chelsea, Citeh or Utd as well.
Whoever pays well.
Lets see if you live unto the price tag Mr Lacazette
Next on the shopping list is LaVHS then, Now we have the cassette.
I’ll get my coat….
COYG
Or we re-sign Nicholas Beta.
And I think he can definitely add a bit more nuance to our play up top.
ALSO feel there is no contradiction with him and Giroud in the same squad as he can play off the big guy coming in from the wings or start top. There are no PLan Bs or automatic berths. We need tactical flexibility over a range of formations.
An excellent buy on a proven player for half the price of an 18yr old who has not even notched as many goals as Lacazette last season. Yet some are underwhelmed…go figure.
Tactical flexibility over a range of formations??? We need a new manager then!
If i needed to choose between a winger or a DM, I would take a DM, like William Carvalho or Kondogbia.
A DM yes, not either of those two though. Need to find someone who could play with either xhaka or ramsey. Carvalho is too immmobile for that, kondogbia doesn’t have the discipline. We need an ngolo kante who is also 6 foot two. Should be easy, right?
“I want to show I’m worthy of the shirt.”
You’ll get the opportunity, my friend. I believe in you!
He speaks of hard work in training and always trying to pick the best option in front of goal. It’s good to hear.
Like this signing very much. Right age, improved year on year, strong mentality.
The signing of Lehman as coach may be a master stroke too.
Is it just me or is he like: “fuck my life…” In his head ?
It’s just you
For 53 million euros you best believe you’re gonna do everything to help us win titles. Welcome to the Arsenal Lacazette!
That main photo looks like it was taken in someone’s front room. I can see the radiator and some red coat hanging beside it etc. Was it Mr. Blogg’s front room?
It’s Carl Jenkinson’s bedroom, judging by the wallpaper.
Great news to wake up to.
Welcome to Arsenal!
He says all the right stuff, which you expect, so fingers crossed he can adjust quickly and produce the goods.
Excellent signing. Who has Arsene got as his next target?
Will be as tall as the BFG with the PL trophee over his head. LacaNewSigning#
Give him the #9 or #10 please
Jack still got #10 remember
Jack might not be here come Fall
Lacozette. .welcome to Arsenal .You will love it in London ?
Wenger certainly has opened the checkbook up more of late though none of the signings unfortunately have done much to make us more competitive for the title. Hopefully this one and at least one more will get us back on track.
Alexandre Le Grande
I don’t know how I feel about this. On the one hand I’m happy we are spending the money but on the other hand it feels like we can do better.
All I know is that we spent 100m+ last summer and finished nowhere near the top so let’s hope that this time around we can do better. If he’s here to replace Alexis then we are no better off than we were 2-3 seasons ago
Great news!…
I’m feeling confident that this will be a great signing.
COYG, welcome Alexandre!
Lacazette the machete, gunning down our opponents
“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” – but the Mugsmashers always thought they can score when they shoot/cross/pass?
LACAZETTE: I’LL DO EVERYTHING TO HELP ARSENAL WIN TITLES
As a start, please help convincing Alexis to stay
“Also the fact that the manager has been here for a while shows that it is a stable club which I like.”
I wonder to what extent that comment was coaxed out of him. 😉