Arsene Wenger believes Arsenal timed their signing of Alexandre Lacazette well, labelling the reported €53million paid for the forward as a “very decent” price.
Lacazette joined Arsenal from Lyon in July and the Frenchman needed just 94 seconds to open his account in the Premier League, scoring in his side’s opening-day win over Leicester City.
The 26-year-old joined for a club-record fee, but Wenger feels that the price would have been far greater had the deal taken place later in the window.
Neymar made a world-record €222m move from Barcelona to Paris Saint-Germain earlier this month, creating an inflated transfer market.
“It depends sometimes on the timing. The inflation sometimes is so quick within the transfer market that the timing of your buys is very important,” Wenger said ahead of his side’s trip to Liverpool on Sunday.
“We were already on the case last year, so when I came back in I knew the player.
“Considering the market now, I think it is a very decent price. The price would certainly be very different today.”
@LacazetteAlex pic.twitter.com/P7wVcmNZI7
— Arsenal FC (@Arsenal) August 26, 2017
Lacazette managed double figures in league goals in his final four seasons at Lyon, including netting 28 in 2016-17.
Wenger said it would take time for Lacazette to find his best form in the Premier League, but he is certain the 11-time France international will deliver.
“He is still in an adaptation period to the team and to the league,” he said.
“He is a bit surprised by the intensity of it all in training and in the games. He will get there because he is brave and he is intelligent.
“The intelligence of his runs and the quality of his technique is very good. Overall I don’t worry for him. He is just in the [early] phase… at the start he was completely taken by the intensity of it and he slowly adapts.
“I feel every week he is getting better and stronger.”
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