Having failed to qualify to the Champions League last season, Arsenal have broken their transfer record to sign Alexandre Lacazette, in a move that would certainly be seen impressive by Wenger who had seemingly given in on splashing the cash to enhance his squad. The French Striker will be looking to justify his £52 million price tag and we will take a look at how Fantasy managers could also benefit from this deal.
Alexandre Lacazette has been quoted as saying:
“Arsenal are the club that plays the best football in England so I really wanted to come here.”
Fantasy Football Potential
During the 2016/17 campaign, Lacazette played a central role in guiding Lyon the semi-finals of the Europa League, scoring on 6 occasions and assisting once, however eventually they were knocked out by Ajax. Overall, the 26-year old striker managed 27 goals from 45 outings, with a shot accuracy of 65%. Moreover, he managed an impressive 2.7 shots per game on average, a number that would be interesting for fantasy managers, taking into consideration that Arsenal’s total chances created last season was 431, compared to 408 from Lyon. In addition to this 46 chances were created by Lacazette himself, which may help the Frenchman repeat his recent goal tally.
However, moving to the Premier League is not easy, as proved by his fellow French Striker Olivier Giroud, who was once the leading scorer in the French League, but failed to shine in the same manner with the Gunners. Wenger will look to rely on his new signing’s versatility and agility, using Arsenal’s speed and passing to feed their new striker going forward.
Arsenal have made a big statement by signing Lacazette, a move that could persuade Alexis Sanchez to renew his contract and potentially to win trophies, given the ambition being shown by Wenger. Having Sanchez next to Lacazette could create a lethal combination for the North London club and an appetizing inclusion for Fantasy Managers around the world.
You’d expect Lacazette to walk straight into the Gunner’s squad and since pre-season is just around the corner; it could be worth while doing some scouting, seeing how he interacts with his new teammates. Arsenal have lacked a goal scoring striker for a few years now, relying on the Chilean to provide the majority of their goals. With Sanchez on one side, Lacazette on the other, and Ozil behind them, the prospect of including them in your fantasy teams does not seem too bad at all. Even if Sanchez ends up leaving, Lacazette has proven himself during his days in Lyon and he could thrive in this Arsenal squad.
It remains to seen what the price of the newcomer will be, but anywhere between 9.0m to 10.0m should be fair and it could cause some tough selection options when it comes to the start of the season. It should be said that waiting on more transfer news is advisable, as it is looking like we will be spoilt for choice up top, with the likes of; Harry Kane, the Romelu Lukaku Sergio Aguero just to name a few.
Bottom line is, Alexandre Lacazette is a great option, but be sure to weigh your options with other important strikers and newcomers.
If you have enjoyed this early view of the fantasy potential of those moving teams this transfer window, be sure to check the others here.
Hassan Alaywan (@hassanation)
