After an impressive debut season in the English Premier League (EPL) that saw him net 14 goals, Alexandre Lacazette has been tipped to become the top scorer of the 2018/2019 campaign by former Arsenal striker Charlie Nicholas.
This will be the second season at Arsenal for the French forward after making the switch from French club Olympic Lyon in July 2017. The 14 goal return ensured the forward finished the season as the club’s top scorer four more than his closest challenger Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang who joined the club in the January transfer wondow. Lacazette however suffered a crushing injury in February that kept him out for two months after undergoing a knee surgery, marking his comeback with a penalty goal against Stoke back in April.
Charlie believes Lacazette can beat of Harry Kane, Sergio Aguero, Romelu Lukaku and Mohamed Salah to win the Premier League Golden Boot, “I’m going to look towards my old side and I fancy Lacazette at a decent price as Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang will create more space for him. They might take turns up front in some away games but I generally see them starting together and Lacazette is the better technical player, so he’s my each-way bet. Though he’s likely to be in the mix I can’t honestly see Salah having the same season again.”
Charlie however also acknowledges the strong competition that Lacazette will face in the golden boot race, “Kane will be there, Sergio Aguero, if he stays fit will be there and Gabriel Jesus, by virtue of playing for Manchester City, should be too, but Mo Salah and Romelu Lukaku will be in contention again.”
Lacazette is expected to lead the line for Arsenal this coming season under new head coach Unai Emery with Aubameyang operating in a wider role with the ability to cut inside, as shown during their pre-season matches. Arsenal start their season at home on Sunday 12 August against Manchester City.
Lacazette came into prominence as a member of the academy at Lyon, where he made his professional debut aged 19. He helped the club win the Coupe de France and Trophée des Champions in 2012, and was named the Ligue 1 Player of the Year in 2014–15. During his time in France, Lacazette cultivated a reputation as a prolific goalscorer and poacher, recording multiple twenty-goal seasons, which earned him a move to Arsenal in a then club-record £46.5 million (€53 million) deal in 2017.
Ever since debuting for the national side, Lacazette has represented France across all youth levels. He was a key player in France’s victory in the 2010 UEFA European Under-19 Championship, where he scored the match-winning goal in the final against Spain. He then made his senior international debut in June 2013, scoring his first goal in March 2015.
Known for dribbling, pace, and ability with both feet, as well as his persistence to press and tackle when out of possession, Lacazette has been compared to former Arsenal forward Ian Wright by Gérard Houllier
On 23 May 2013, Lacazette received his first call-up to the senior squad following the withdrawal of Jérémy Ménez through injury. He made his international debut on 5 June, as a 58th-minute substitute for Olivier Giroud in a 0–1 friendly defeat against Uruguay at the Estadio Centenario in Montevideo.Lacazette scored his first international goal on 29 March 2015, opening a 2–0 friendly win over Denmark at the Stade Geoffroy-Guichard in Saint-Étienne. During the match, he was booed by some of the local supporters due to their rivalry with Lyon. On 14 November 2017 Lacazette netted a brace for France during a friendly away to Germany in an eventual 2–2 draw.
On 17 May 2018, he was named on the standby list for the 23 man French squad for the 2018 World Cup in Russia