Alexandre Lacazette at Arsenal: Success or failure? | OneFootball

As I was doing some reading this week, I saw an article that claimed, “Lacazette has failed to impress during his time at the Emirates Stadium,” and I thought to myself, has he really?

Arsenal’s French striker Alexandre Lacazette warms up ahead of the English Premier League football match between Aston Villa and Arsenal at Villa Park in Birmingham, central England on February 6, 2021. (Photo by Catherine Ivill / POOL / AFP)

I think it’s fair to say that Alexandre Lacazette has not turned into the uber-striker we all thought Arsenal were signing when they coughed up £47.7m for the forward in 2017, but can you really say that he has failed to impress during his time at Arsenal?

The real measure of a forward is, of course, in the goals that he scores (or assists he creates) and Lacazette has 66 goals, along with 28 assists before Arsenal travel to Burnley, in 172 games.

That works out as a goal or assist every 1.83 games.

To compare, at Lyon, Lacazette’s overall rate was 1.59, so better, but not by much.

At the same rate, Lacazette would have 108 goals and assists at Arsenal instead of the 94 he has now.

To compare, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang’s Arsenal rate is 1.39, but he also averages 79 minutes per game while Laca gets 65.

In terms of just goals, Lacazette has actually scored at a higher rate at Arsenal than he did at Lyon – 2.606 vs 2.131.

If his rate at Lyon justified Arsenal paying £47.7m for him, and he’s scored at a higher rate at Arsenal, it’s hard to see how you can make the argument that he has ‘failed to impress’.

Lacazette might have ‘failed to impress as much as I expected him to,’ but that’s a very different thing indeed.

Arsenal stopped from buying Tammy Abraham because they couldn’t sell 30-year-old

Arsenal did try to buy Tammy Abraham from Chelsea this summer but their inability to sell Alexandre Lacazette stopped them being able to complete a deal.

Formula 1 2021: British GP SILVERSTONE CIRCUIT, UNITED KINGDOM – JULY 18: Alexandre Lacazette during the British GP at Silverstone Circuit on Sunday July 18, 2021 in Northamptonshire, United Kingdom. (Photo by Zak Mauger LAT Images)

Tammy Abraham held off as long as he could, waiting for Arsenal to sign him.

We were his preferred destination and, if reports are to be believed, Arsenal were genuinely interested in trying to land him.

In the end, Abraham signed for Roma on August 17, just three days after Lacazette’s agent denied rumours that he was talking to the Italians on behalf of his client.

Tammy Abraham of AS Roma during the Serie A football match between AS Roma and US Sassuolo at Olimpico stadium in Rome Italy, September 12th, 2021. Photo Antonietta Baldassarre / Insidefoto Antonietta Baldassarre

Lacazette has just one year left on his contract and, given the state of global football finances, a move for free next summer will mean he will have more suitors able to match his wage request. It makes sense for him to stay, especially if there was no club appealing to him during the window that has just closed.

It could also explain why Arsenal had so much trouble trying to sell him.

The Frenchman is now 30, so his next move will be his last chance to fulfil any top-level ambitions he might have. Would Roma have helped him achieve any of those? It seems unlikely.

Regardless, Arsenal now find themselves in the position of having to sell Lacazette, if they can, in January, or watching £25.2m-worth of talent walk out the door for nothing next summer. Talent that will need to be replaced.

Arsenal could look internally, of course, but the fact they tried to buy Abraham suggests they aren’t going to.

Abraham currently has one goal and two assists in four games for Roma while Lacazette has one goal in two appearances so far this season.

Arsenal contracts – Alexandre Lacazette

Formula 1 2021: British GP SILVERSTONE CIRCUIT, UNITED KINGDOM – JULY 18: Alexandre Lacazette during the British GP at Silverstone Circuit on Sunday July 18, 2021 in Northamptonshire, United Kingdom. (Photo by Zak Mauger LAT Images)

Alexandre Lacazette, Arsenal’s fourth most expensive player in the club’s history, is set to leave for free in the summer with Arsenal not even bothering to pretend they want to offer him a new deal.

To be fair, Lacazette has been linked with an Arsenal exit since he arrived from Lyon in 2017.

Value walking out the door if he leaves for free – £25.2m

Total value of players out of contact in 2022: £65.25m