Alexander Lacazette finally gives the name of the player who convinced him to join Arsenal

Lacazette became Arsenal's record signing when he signed from Lyon for £52million in the summer of 2017

Alexandre Lacazette has revealed the role former Arsenal midfielder Francis Coquelin played in his decision to join the Gunners.

France star Lacazette became Arsenal's record signing when he signed from Lyon for £52million in the summer of 2017.

He had reportedly been on the Gunners' radar for some time and has admitted that he spoke to the club several years before he eventually signed.

Lacazette told Arsenal's website "it was not a good time" to leave Lyon on that occasion but his relationship with Coquelin - who left the Gunners for Valencia last January - meant he continued to receive positive updates about life at the Emirates Stadium.

The pair played together in France's youth sides and both starred as their country won the 2010 UEFA European Under-19 Championship on home soil.

Having scored the winning goal in the final, Lacazette was summonsed to North London for the first time the following day - as Lyon competed in the Emirates Cup.

"I had a tough decision to make because, for me, I needed the next step," he said about his 2017 move to the Premier League.

"A few years before, I had talked with Arsenal but it was not at a good time. When they came in again, I was so happy. I think the discussion with Arsenal and the club was so quick because for me it was obvious that I had to sign here.

Coquelin and Lacazette played together for France's youth teams
"I’d actually visited Emirates Stadium before with Lyon. It was in 2009, the day after I had scored the winning goal in the European U-19 Championship final in France.

"I spent the whole night celebrating with Antoine Griezmann and Francis Coquelin and didn’t go to bed. Then at 6am, me, Yannis Tafer, Timothee Kolodziejczak, Clement Grenier and Enzo Reale got the train to London to join up with Lyon.

"We only arrived at the hotel an hour before we had to set off for the Emirates!

"Francis and I kept in touch after that. We had a lot of contact over the next few years and even more in the weeks before I joined the club, especially when it became increasingly likely that I would come to Arsenal.


“He only said good things about Arsenal, which is not surprising because he wanted me to join the club.

“Even without that I still really wanted to come here. He stressed that it was a great club located in a fantastic city.

“He said I would not regret my decision to move here because of the people I’d be working with and, of course, the fans. He was right!”