'Alexis was one of the reasons I came here'

Alexandre Lacazette says playing alongside Alexis was a factor behind his move to us.

The pair have only started twice together since the Frenchman’s move to north London, but the early signs have been positive, with Arsène Wenger commenting on the duo’s “promising combination” after Sunday’s win over Brighton & Hove Albion.

“That’s also one of the reasons why I wanted to come to Arsenal - to play with players of [Alexis’] calibre,” Lacazette told Arsenal Player. “Just seeing him in training, I like the way he plays and his mental attitude. His approach makes me want to play alongside him - hopefully for many years.”

Lacazette has already scored four goals for us since joining from Lyon, and the striker is satisfied with his start to life in the Premier League.

“I’m enjoying it,” he added. “The Arsenal staff are excellent and they’ve helped me a lot. Also, the fact that there are quite a few French players in the club has made the transition much easier for me. On the pitch too, I feel a good connection with the fans, so overall I am very happy.

“The main difference is that the game is a lot more physical. The pace of the game is also very different. I now really understand what it means to play box-to-box. 

“Things can move so fast that you don’t have time to catch your breath or think about the next move. As I said, though, the main difference is that the game is much more physical.”