Arsenal have confirmed the signing of Lyon striker Alexandre Lacazette for a club record £46.5m fee.
The 26-year-old has signed a five-year deal with the Gunners and joins a lengthy list of French players to have made the move from Ligue 1 to north London.
Here is our XI of Arsenal acquisitions from Ligue 1.
FRENCH FANCIES 4-3-3
DAVID OSPINA
Signed from: Nice
Fee: £3million
Years: 2014-
The Colombian is set to leave this summer after three years serving as Arsenal’s No2 goalkeeper but when he arrived from Nice in 2014 he did so with a big reputation.
Ospina had impressed with his national side as Colombia reached the quarter-finals stage of the 2014 World Cup and he was initially brought in to compete with Wojciech Szczesny before Petr Cech’s arrival the following year demoted him to understudy status.
BACARY SAGNA
Signed from: Auxerre
Fee: £6million
Years: 2007-2014
At the time Sagna, was uncapped by France and still a raw 24-year-old after three seasons with Auxerre.
He went on to become a mainstay in Arsene Wenger’s defence, making the right-back spot his own before he was allowed to leave for Man City on a free in 2014 after 231 games for the Gunners.
LAURENT KOSCIELNY
Signed from: Lorient
Fee: £8.45million
Years: 2010-
Koscielny is actually rumoured to be moving back to Ligue 1 with Marseille said to be interested and he would be returning with the steely experience of seven years at Arsenal but the wear and tear the Premier League can bring.
He’s clocked up 290 appearances for the club since convincing the Lorient board to let him leave in 2010 and while he’s established himself as one of the Premier League’s finest centre-halves, the 31-year-old is plagued by a long-standing Achilles injury which he suffered three years ago.
PASCAL CYGAN
Signed from: Lille
Fee: £2million
Years: 2002-2006
Cygan was tipped for the French national team when Wenger signed him from Lille in 2002 and although the defender never earned a cap for his country he does the have the distinction of being apart of the “Invincibles” side of 2003/04.
Flat footed and slow paced he isn’t the most memorable member of that title winning side but he did make 18 appearances in the league that season.
MATHIEU FLAMINI
Signed from: Marseille
Fee: Free
Years: 2004-2008 & 2013-2016
Okay, he mainly operated as a defensive midfielder be Flamini has played at left-back so he constitutes a place in this side.
He’s arguably one of the best free transfers Arsenal have signed although his departure from Marseille in 2004 was acrimonious after he rejected their senior-long term contract offer having initially verbally agreed the deal before completing a move to north London.
SAMIR NASRI
Signed from: Marseille
Fee: £14million
Years: 2008-2011
A 20-year-old skillful playmaker with Algerian roots and French football’s brightest prospect, Nasri was dubbed the “new Zidane” back in 2008 and while he didn’t quite live up to that lofty expectation he made a significant impact at Arsenal.
He left for Manchester City three years later in a £24million deal as the Gunners faithful vilified him for making a move they believed was purely for financial gain after their Premier League rivals tripled his wage package.
EMMANUEL PETIT
Signed from: Monaco
Fee: £3.5million
Years: 1997-2000
Instrumental in Arsenal’s league and cup double in the 1997/98 season, ‘Manu’ formed a pivotal partnership at the base of Arsenal’s midfield with a certain Patrick Vieira.
He was familiar face to Arsene Wenger with the French boss poaching him for Monaco at the age of 18 and when he moved to the Gunners he was unveiled alongside Marc Overmars – the same player he would combine to fetch Arsenal a £30million fee three years later when sold to Barcelona.
ROBERT PIRES
Signed from: Marseille
Fee: £6million
Years: 2000-2006
Trophy heartache hallmarked Pires’ career in France’s top flight as he twice narrowly missed out on the league title with first Metz and then Marseille.
But the high-flying winger would realise his dreams in the Premier League as after turning down a switch to Real Madrid, he went on to cement legendary status with Arsenal having amassed two league titles and two FA Cup winning medals.
SYLVAIN WILTORD
Signed from: Bordeaux
Fee: £13million
Years: 2000-2004
In typical Wenger fashion, haggling over a transfer fee turned Wiltord’s move from Bordeaux into a protracted affair but the man brought in to bolster Wenger’s striking reinforcements after Davor Suker’s release in the summer of 2000, turned out to be worth the wait.
Fresh from scoring a last-gasp equaliser for France in the Euro 2000 final which Les Bleus went on to win, Wiltord went on to immortalise himself in Arsenal folklore as he scored the decisive goal to beat Manchester United to clinch to domestic double two years later.
OLIVIER GIROUD
Signed from: Montpellier
Fee: £9.6million
Years: 2012-
Another current Wenger signing poached from Ligue 1 who has been linked with a move away from the Emirates Stadium this summer, the 30-year-old wants to remain at Arsenal and fight for his place in the side.
The 30-year-old is still making a his mark and he’s been money well spent after the Gunners parted with £9.6million for his services in 2012 fresh after guiding Montpellier to their first ever French league title.
EMMANUEL ADEBAYOR
Signed from: Monaco
Fee: £3million
Years: 2006-2009
His leggy style and erratic finishing birthed his nickname “Baby Kanu” but even as a 21-year-old Adebayor already had a bad reputation off the pitch having missed training several times and been warned about poor behaviour by Monaco’s management before moving to Arsenal.
He cemented his bad-boy reputation after his infamous pitch-length celebration in front of Arsenal fans after he scored against them for new employers Manchester City in 2009.