There’s rarely a guarantee that any player’s skill set will translate seamlessly to a new team, let alone a new league, but Alexandre Lacazette’s move to Arsenal promises to bring rich rewards to Arsene Wenger’s Gunners.
Put plainly, the striker delivers finish to go with physically capable play in the tall trees of defenses. While we’ve yet to see Lacazette play for anyone other than Lyon -- he joined the club at age 12 -- he’s done enough outside Ligue 1 to ensure he’ll score plenty in this step forward.
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Lacazette has 27, 21, and 28 goals in his last three Ligue 1 seasons, and ramped up his continental play this season. He scored against Roma, Besiktas, Alkmaar, and Ajax in the UEL after netting versus Dinamo Zagreb in the UCL.
The advanced stats speak kindly on his performances. Lacazette finished ahead of Cristiano Ronaldo in Squawka’s attack score, placing behind only names like Lionel Messi, Robert Lewandowski, Harry Kane, Alexis Sanchez, Sergio Aguero, Neymar, and Dries Mertens.
Additionally, his 65 percent shot accuracy was barely rivaled despite his status as clear man in Lyon’s attack. If he has a weakness, it’s a preference for his right foot.
Lacazette accounted for 37 percent of Lyon’s goals. In the Top Five leagues of Europe, only Edinson Cavani scored more away goals (19) then Lacazette’s 15 (a total shared by Mertens, Sanchez, Aguero, and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang).
Moreover the move can serve as a statement of intent as Alexis Sanchez and Mesut Ozil ponder life in the UEFA Europa League (the Final is in Lyon next season). Adding Lacazette names Arsenal a favorite in that tournament, and levels its contender status in the Premier League as well.
