Arsenal Breaks Club Transfer Record To Sign French Striker, But Not The One Everyone Wants

Yes! Arsenal fans, it’s here!

The big-money striker signing you’ve been waiting for since Thierry Henry left town. 

That French forward everyone in the world covets is coming to the Emirates.

You’ll never guess who…  pic.twitter.com/4Owx2Bg17i

— Arsenal FC (@Arsenal) July 5, 2017

Wait, where’s Kylian Mbappe?

Oh, it’s just Alexandre Lacazette.

Meh.

Not the hero Arsenal needs, but probably the one it deserves. Photo: @Arsenal | Twitter

Arsenal broke its club record for a transfer fee to bring Lyon striker Lacazette into the fold.

While doling out $60.1 million for a new man up front sounds like good news for Arsenal fans, the truth is Lacazette is behind Arsenal center forward Olivier Giroud in the pecking order on Didier Deschamps’ France team. 

How exactly does this help the team win titles? I may take up Jimmy Conrad on his offer. 

OFFERING: Free Hugs.

TO: All Arsenal Supporters.

AFTER: They still can't win the league with a proper striker.

(See you next May!)

— Jimmy Conrad (@JimmyConrad) July 5, 2017

Lacazette isn’t a bad player. The 26-year-old scored 100 goals in 203 Ligue 1 appearances with his hometown club. More impressively, 91 came over the last four seasons, tops in France and only trailing the totals of Cristiano Ronaldo, Lionel Messi, Luis Suarez, Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Robert Lewandowski and Gonzalo Higuain. 

He scored 37 in 45 games last season — not a bad haul.

We do know at least one Arsenal fan will be excited.

if Arsenal sign Lacazette i'll get a tattoo of his face somewhere on me body 

— SL (@sxmleach) June 30, 2017

But Lacazette did his damage in France, where Mbappe, only 18, managed 26 himself, including six in the Champions League, compared to one for Lacazette. 

Plus, Lacazette has 11 France caps and one international goal to his name, compared to 27 goals in 64 appearances for the 30-year-old Giroud. 

Teams that win the title in England or Europe spend money on the best and brightest. Lacazette is a nice signing, but not on the level of an Mbappe. 

Lacazette will help — and form a fearsome trident with Mesut Ozil and Alexis Sanchez, assuming they stick around — but it’s not the earth-shattering transfer that will propel Arsenal to EPL or Champions League titles. 

For Arsenal fans, though, this is the worst part: the Europa League tweeting about the Gunners. 

 Arsenal have completed the signing of French striker Alexandre Lacazette from Lyon on a five-year deal. #UEL https://t.co/jStuM2dH1Q

— UEFA Europa League (@EuropaLeague) July 5, 2017

Maybe Lacazette will help the Gunners win a Europa League title, because Arsenal doesn’t look like a club bent on winning the Champions League anytime soon.