Lacazette posts farewell message to Arsenal

“Five years ago, my dream came true, was to sign for Arsenal,” the 31-year-old striker posted on Facebook. Instagram. “It’s been an honor to play for the club, to be part of this family. I’ve won trophies, met so many good people and fell in love with this club even more. One day a Gunner, forever a Gunner. Thank you. Arsenal’s big family”.

Lacazette joined Arsenal from Lyon for a fee of $ 59 million in the summer of 2017. In the past five years, he scored 71 and assisted 31 goals in 206 games, helping the “Gunners” win the FA Cup in 2020, the British Super Cup in 2017, and was awarded the title. Voted the best Arsenal player of the 2018-2019 season. According to British newspaper Sportmail, Lacazette reached an agreement to return to the old club Lyon. Here, he scored 129 goals in 275 matches, won a French Super Cup and a French Cup, before landing at Emirates Stadium.

After letting Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang join Barca in January 2022, Lacazette was chosen to be Arsenal’s captain until the end of the season. The French striker scored four and assisted seven goals in 30 matches in the English Premier League season 2021-2022.

With the failure to renew with Lacazette, Arsenal will have to appoint the 14th captain in the Premier League era. Before Lacazette, the club’s captains included Aubameyang, Granit Xhaka, Laurent Koscielny, Per Mertesacker, Thomas Vermaelen, Robin van Persie, Mikel Arteta, Cesc Fabregas, William Gallas, Thierry Henry, Patrick Vieira and Tony Adams.

The Emirates Stadium owner also thanked the French striker for his contributions to the club, and wished him success in the next chapter of his career. Coach Mikel Arteta said: “Lacazette is a fantastic player, a true leader both on and off the pitch, and has a very important influence on young players. Lacazette’s determination is exceptional, and we do. I wish him and his family success and happiness.”

Technical director Edu added: “All Arsenal members want to thank Lacazette. He is really important to Arsenal. Lacazette will always be part of the Arsenal family, and we wish him all the best. the best in the future”.

Before leaving Lacazette, Arsenal extended Eddie Nketiah until June 2027. The 23-year-old striker’s explosion with five goals in the last eight games of last season convinced the Arsenal leadership to reward him with a new contract. However, Arteta only sees Nketiah as a backup plan, and still wants to recruit more strikers, with Gabriel Jesus as the top target. The Brazilian striker has almost no future at Man City because of the arrival of two rookies Erling Haaland and Julian Alvarez.

Hong Duy