New striker ‘very proud’ to join club in record transfer

New signing Alexandre Lacazette has said he wants to fire the goals to help Arsenal win more titles, after finalising a club record move from Lyon.

The French striker joined the Gunners for a reported £46.5million fee that could rise to £52m with add-ons, having scored 37 times in all competitions last season.

And he is hoping to maintain that form for the north London outfit, telling arsenal.com: “I want to do everything I can to make sure we win titles. I want to give one hundred per cent in every match. I want to show I’m worthy of the shirt.

“I like to use my pace and link up with my team-mates. As a forward, I like to scor goals, of course, but that’s not all that I’m about. I love good flowing football where the whole team is engaged.

“You need to have players behind you who pass the ball well, resulting in good goalscoring opportunities. 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.”

Lacazette, now 26, came up through the ranks at Lyon, while also playing for all of France’s national youth teams from under-16 upwards.

He won his first senior cap in 2013 and admits some of his fellow Frenchmen provided the inspiration to agree to join Arsenal.

He added: “I am delighted and very proud because Arsenal is a legendary club.

“Throughout my childhood, thanks to Thierry Henry and other French players, I always dreamed of playing for this club, so that dream has been fulfilled.

“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 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.”

Lacazette is expected to join the club’s tour of Sydney this weekend and make his debut in the Emirates Cup on the weekend of July 29-30.

Manager Arsene Wenger told the club’s official website: “We are very happy to have Alexandre join our group. He has shown over a number of years that he can score goals and that he is a very efficient finisher.

“He has very interesting technical qualities and a strong character, so he is a guy who is a great addition for us and someone who will help us challenge at the top level this season.”