Alexandre Lacazette returns to Lyon after leaving Arsenal

Alexandre Lacazette has returned to Lyon as a free agent after leaving Arsenal. The striker ended his five-year stay at the Emirates after his contract expired. He joins the Ligue 1 side on a three-year deal.

The striker’s contract at the Emirates Stadium was due to expire at the end of this month, so he returned to the club where he started his career before moving to Arsenal in 2017. The 2017 transfer from Lyon to Emirates Stadium cost Arsenal £46.5m. At the time, it was Arsenal’s most expensive transfer in history.

Lacazette has signed a three-year contract at the French club and his arrival is a boost for Lyon, who finished eighth in Ligue 1 this season. This means that we won’t see Lacazette in the European Cups in the upcoming season.

A Lyon statement said

“A return to Lyon was on offer from the start. Even without European Cups, the club has big ambitions. I think I have improved as a player and as a leader over the last few years and I want to help the team,” Lacazette said at a press conference.

This is Lyon’s second transfer this transfer window. After the return of Remy Riou and the contract extensions of Maxence Caqueret and Anthony Lopes, the management is showing big ambitions for next season.

Lacazette joined Arsenal in 2017 and has appeared in 206 games in all competitions, scoring 71 goals. He was Arsenal’s top scorer in the 2017-18 and 2020-21 seasons and is among the top ten Premier League goalscorers in the club’s history. He won the FA Cup and the Community Shield during his time at the club.

Source: Olympique Lyon, ESPN