Alexandre Lacazette (French pronunciation: ; born 28 May 1991) is a French professional footballer who plays as a forward for Premier League club Arsenal and the France national team. He is known for his pace, hold-up play, and work-rate. Lacazette plays mainly as a striker, but has also been deployed as a second striker, and wide forward.
Born in Lyon, Lacazette began his senior career at the city's largest club Olympique Lyonnais at age 19, after impressing as a member of the team's youth setup. He initially played as a winger, but was converted into a striker. This success led him to start for the side regularly by 2012, where, at age 21, he helped the club win a Coupe de France and a Trophée des Champions title.
During his time at the club, Lacazette developed into a regular goalscorer, becoming renowned for his prowess in front of goal, as well as his team-first mentality, gaining comparisons to Ian Wright by Gérard Houllier. Lacazette also helped the club make a return to the UEFA Champions League, and contributed heavily to Lyon's runner up finishes in Ligue 1 in the 2014–15 and 2015–16 seasons. In the case of the former, Lacazette recorded a league high 27 goals, and won the Ligue 1 Player of the Year award for his performances. Despite this, the club failed to win any additional trophies, and Lacazette began voicing his desire to leave.