Arsenal have confirmed that club captain Alexandre Lacazette is leaving the club.
The Gunners released a statement confirming that the Frenchman will depart later this month. It read: "Alex Lacazette will be leaving us at the end of his current contract, which runs until June 30. Since joining us from Lyon in July 2017, Laca made 206 appearances in all competitions, scoring 71 goals."
Mikel Arteta said: “Laca has been a fantastic player for us. He’s been a real leader on and off the pitch and has been a very important influence to our younger players. His commitment with us has been exceptional and we wish him and his family success and happiness.”
Lacazette admitted the time had come for a new challenge.
“I’m looking forward to a new experience and a new adventure,” Lacazette told Arsenal’s official club website. "I want to keep all the good moments I had in the club, because for me it was just a pleasure to play for a club that, since I was young, I dreamt of.
“I’m really happy to have played for five years for Arsenal. I’ll keep in contact with my team-mates, with the coaches, with the club.
“I supported Arsenal since I was young, so obviously I’m going to keep supporting them. I know I will come back to the stadium as well.”
Lacazette originally joined the Gunners from French outfit Lyon for a reported £52.7m during the tenure of Arsene Wenger. Since then, he has gone on to make 206 appearances for the Gunners, scoring 71 goals in all competitions.
He was part of the side to lift the FA Cup under Mikel Arteta, whilst he also claimed the Community Shield the following season. However, his contract was set to expire at the end of this season and he had fallen out of the starting lineup in recent weeks, with Eddie Nketiah preferred.
Lacazette becomes the second big-name forward to quit the Emirates this season after Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang's move to Barcelona in January. The pair's exit leaves the Gunners with only Eddie Nketiah as the club's only senior striker heading into next season. The Hale End academy graduate is also out of contract at the end of the campaign too, but recent reports have suggested that he is close to agreeing fresh terms with the north London side.
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Arteta is expected to dip into the transfer market for attacking reinforcements, with Man City's Gabriel Jesus at the current time the most likely candidate with Arsenal having fallen out of the race for Napoli star Victor Osimhen, who, simply, is too expensive.
Lacazette meanwhile is expected to return to former side Lyon The 31-year-old has already hinted that a reunion with the French outfit could be a possibility down the line.
Speaking earlier this season, he said: "I have never cut contact with Lyon since I left. I try to return to the club once or twice a year to see the medical staff because we are really close. Lyon knows that I am free, they have my information. It's a bit more complicated [if they fail to qualify for Europe]. I want to play in Europe, it's been a long time since I played in the Champions League, I'm missing it.
"It's a little more complicated, nothing is impossible in life, but it's a little more complicated."
