Arsenal seal club-record deal for Alexandre Lacazette

Matt Stead

Arsenal have announced the signing of Lyon striker Alexandre Lacazette on a club-record deal, thought to be worth around £44million.

The France international arrived in London on Tuesday after the two clubs finally agreed a fee, announced by Lyon president Jean-Michel Aulas as being “close to 50million euros” (£44m).

Lyon-based newspaper Le Progres reported on Wednesday morning that Lacazette’s medical went without a problem and that only the finer points of his contract remain to be agreed.

The fee would represent both a record signing for Arsenal, surpassing the £42.4m paid to Real Madrid for Mesut Ozil in 2013, and the highest fee received by Lyon.

Lacazette has scored more than 20 goals in Ligue 1 for the last three seasons, including 28 in 30 games and 37 in all competitions last season.

Arsenal confirmed Lacazette had signed on a “long-term contract, for an undisclosed fee”.

A statement on the club website added: “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.”

(It will not be his home debut. Pre-season games are not debuts.)