Arsenal complete club record deal for Alexandre Lacazette

Alexandre Lacazette: Will leave 'at right time'

Arsenal have signed Alexandre Lacazette in a club-record deal from Lyon, with the striker understood to have signed a five-year deal at the Emirates.

The arrival of Lacazette – who scored 129 times in 275 games for Lyon, including 37 in 45 last season – ends a year-long pursuit of the striker for Arsene Wenger.

It’s reported the France striker has signed on the dotted line on a deal until the summer of 2022 and will earn £200,000 a week during his time in north London.

He will cost Arsenal an initial £46.5million but add-ons and incentives could see the fee reach £52million.

The France international had verbally agreed to join Atletico Madrid this summer but that deal collapsed last month after Atletico’s transfer ban until January was confirmed by the Court of Arbitration for Sport.

Arsenal’s opening bid of £39m was turned down last month, but Lyon president Jean-Michel Aulas had confirmed a deal was likely to be completed after the sides met on a fee that would eclipse the £42.5m the Gunners paid Real Madrid for Mesut Ozil in 2013.

Lacazette had stated that he would only move to a club who are playing in the Champions League but appears to have done a U-turn on those comments ahead his arrival at The Emirates.

Alexandre Lacazette: Arsenal offered fresh encouragement

The 26-year-old will become Arsenal’s second signing of the summer following the arrival of Sean Kolasinac on a free transfer from Schalke.

He is expected to play some part in Arsenal’s upcoming tour of Australia and China.

The Gunners leave for Sydney – where they will play two games – on Sunday evening, with Lacazette set to fly out later next week to meet up with his new teammates.

Arsenal also remain keen on Thomas Lemar, despite his father warning the Monaco player to opt against a move to the Emirates.