Lacazette departs Arsenal, signs new contract at Lyon

Alexandre Lacazette has left Arsenal for former club Olympique Marseille after signing a three-year contract.

The French Ligue 1 side announced Lacazette’s signing in a statement on Thursday.

“Olympique Lyonnais are very proud and very happy to announce the return to the club of Alexandre Lacazette, a product of the club’s academy, for the next three seasons. Out of contract at English club Arsenal, the French international has signed a three-year deal through June 30, 2025.

“Having transferred in July 2017 to Arsenal for the record sum of €60M (including bonuses), Alexandre Lacazette, at 31, has made the choice to return to the club which has seen him grow and become one of the greatest strikers in its history, despite offers from many major European clubs in recent weeks.

“Having arrived at OL in 2003 at the age of 12, the French international (16 caps) has played 15 seasons for the club, eight of them with the first team, for whom he played 275 matches and scored 129 goals, ranking among the top scorers in club history behind Fleury Di Nallo, Bernard Lacombe and Serge Chiesa.

“Winner of the Coupe de France and the Trophée des Champions in 2012, Alexandre Lacazette distinguished himself on January 9, 2016, by becoming the first scorer in the history of Groupama Stadium against Troyes (4-1).

“A complete striker, he also holds the record for goals scored in a Ligue 1 season by an OL player (28 in 2016/2017) and remains the only player to have crossed the 20-goal mark for three consecutive seasons in Ligue 1.”

During his time at Arsenal, Lacazette won the Emirates FA Cup and the Community Shield.

Lacazette began his senior career with hometown club Lyon in 2010, at age 19. Initially a wide forward, he was converted into a striker, and finished as Ligue 1 top goalscorer and won Ligue 1 Player of the Year in the 2014–15 season.