Arsenal confirm signing of Alexandre Lacazette from Lyon for record £52.6m fee

Arsenal have confirmed the signing of France international Alexandre Lacazette, who joins the club from Lyon on a five-year contract.

Lacazette, 26, joins the Gunners for a club record deal, also becoming Lyon's most expensive ever player. While the Gunners have not disclosed the exact fee, Lyon say the deal is worth €60m (52.6m, $68m), including add-ons. That fee eclipses the £42.5m the north London club paid Real Madrid for Mesut Ozil's services in 2013.

The striker will immediately join up with his new teammates and will travel with the club to Sydney for their pre-season tour.

Arsenal fans will get their first glimpse of their new signing in the flesh when the club return from their tour for the Emirates Cup on 29 and 30 July against Benfica and Sevilla.

He will become the 26th player from France to play for the Gunners.

Manager Arsene Wenger told the club's official website: "We are very happy to have Alexandre join our group. He has shown over a number of years that he can score goals and that he is a very efficient finisher. As well, he has very interesting technical qualities and a strong character. So he is a guy who is a great addition for us, and someone who will help us challenge at the top level this season."

He becomes the Gunners' second signing of the summer, following the arrival of full-back Sead Kolasinac from Schalke on a free transfer.

Lacazette was close to joining Atletico Madrid earlier this summer following claims there was a verbal agreement in place for him to join the Spanish giants. However, a transfer ban imposed on the club put the ball back in Arsenal's court.

The Premier League side attempted to sign the player last summer only for Lyon to publicly reject their offer, also turning down a bid from West Ham United. The north London side also saw their opening bid this year rejected by Lyon's shrewd club president Jean Michel-Aulas, but an improved offer has seen them get their man before their pre-season campaign officially begins.

Lacazette scored 37 goals across all competitions for Lyon in the 2016/17 season.