Alexandre Lacazette's time at Arsenal is coming to a close. The striker's contract expired at the start of June, officially making him a free agent, and it didn't take long for his next destination to be revealed. According to Fabrizio Romano, Lacazette is nearing a huge return to Ligue 1, where he'll rejoin his former club, Olympique Lyon. The reports indicate that the free transfer is in its final stages.

Lyon president Jean-Michel Aulas spoke on the possibility of signing Lacazette earlier on in the season and indicated that a reunion with the striker would certainly be of interest to OL. Just a few months later, that dream reunion is set to become a reality, with the deal set to be finalized in the coming days.

Lacazette spent five seasons at Arsenal. In the Premier League, Lacazette featured in 158 matches, starting 117. He scored 54 goals and added 25 assists. He struggled to stay on the field in 2021-22, featuring in 30 Premier League matches, starting just 20. He scored 4 goals, by far his lowest during his tenure with the Gunners, while providing 7 assists.

The 31-year-old first made a name for himself at Lyon, where he debuted for the club as an 18-year-old back in 2009. He spent 8 seasons in Ligue 1 prior to his switch to Arsenal. Across 203 matches, Lacazette scored 100 league goals at Lyon, 91 of which came during his last four seasons at the club.

Arsenal is expected to sign a new striker, or two, in the summer transfer window after losing Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang to Barcelona during the winter transfer window, and now watching Lacazette leave on a free. The club has been linked to Manchester City striker Gabriel Jesus, who is out of favor under Pep Guardiola following the marquee addition of Erling Haaland.

The club was also expected to lose Eddie Nketiah in addition to Lacazette, but in a sudden change of heart, the 22-year-old opted to extend his stay at Arsenal, supplying the team with some additional depth in the attacking third.