Lyon announced the signing of Alexandre Lacazette to a three-year contract. The 31-year-old striker left Lyon five years ago to join Arsenal.
Lacazette is a Lyon hero. In his previous spell at the club, he netted 100 goals in 203 games. Lacazette broke into Lyon’s first team in 2010.
Arsenal confirmed earlier this month that Lacazette’s contract wouldn’t be renewed. The Frenchman scored 71 goals in over 200 games for the North London club.
“Lacazette has been the club’s priority for many months and he fits in perfectly with the environment and the new strategy that the institution wishes to put into place,” Lyon said in a statement.
“His second arrival, after the return of Rémy Riou and the extension to Maxence Caqueret and Anthony Lopes’ contracts, shows the great ambition to breathe new life into a new dynamic around the men’s professional team,” the message added.
How are Ligue 1’s title odds impacted by Lacazette’s transfer?
Lyon finished eighth in last season’s standings, but are the third favorite to win the Ligue 1 title next year behind Paris Saint-Germain and Marseille. Lyon sits at +1400 in the odds race, with Marseille at +1100. The bookies don’t see PSG being bothered during the next campaign after their authoritative win this year. The Paris giants sit at -1000 to triumph in 2023. PSG is on the hunt for a new manager, but the uncertainty around the technical bench doesn’t seem to trouble the odds at all.
Fancy a bet on the outsiders? Troyes, Lorient and Clermont Foot are all at +20000 to lift the Ligue 1 trophy.
PSG won the league in four of the last five seasons. Only Lille bothered them at the top in 2021, when Paris finished second.