Unai Emery Wanted to Sign Alexandre Lacazette at PSG
Arsenal manager Unai Emery confessed he is enjoying finally getting to work with striker Alexandre Lacazette, after failing to sign him while in charge of Paris Saint-Germain.
Lacazette emerged as one of the world's most prolific strikers during his time with French side Lyon, and Emery, who managed PSG between 2016 and 2018, was keen to bring Lacazette to the Parisian side. However, the Frenchman joined Arsenal in 2017 for £46.5m, meaning he was already at the club when Emery took charge over the summer.
In an interview with the Daily Mail, Emery admitted that he has long been a long-time admirer of the 27-year-old, saying: "When I arrived at PSG we were thinking to sign Lacazette.
"We liked his quality and his characteristics and the people who were working there said to us: 'This player has the quality to play for PSG'.
"He was at Lyon and it wasn't easy to sign a player from there for PSG, but he was an option for us."
After initially struggling for game time under Emery, Lacazette has emerged as one of Arsenal's most reliable scoring options. He has four goals from his eight Premier League appearances, and Emery revealed that the pair had worked hard together to help Lacazette improve.
Emery explained: "We speak all the time. For him, last year, his first year in the Premier League was different to what he was used to in the French league.
"Also he had to adapt his position and the rhythm also, but not the mentality because he has a very good mentality. And when he has good chances he usually scores. He is very efficient. Now he needs to continue his adaptation for us, for the Premier League, for the rhythm.
"This season we are looking at him to take one step more in this level. We are very happy but my message to him is: 'Every day, don't stop'.
"Don't stop in training, don't stop in matches, carry on to find your best performance. And he has been doing that. I believe in him and in the other players."
