Former Arsenal star Alexandre Lacazette set for shock transfer to club building futuristic stadium 350m above ground
ALEXANDRE LACAZETTE is reportedly set for a shock move to Saudi Pro League newcomers Neom.
The Saudi outfit were promoted to the country's top flight as champions of the First Division.
5
Alexandre Lacazette is set to move to Saudi Arabia
Credit: Getty
5
His new club will be getting a futuristic stadium
The former Champions League semi-finalists dropped down due to debts being racked up by owners Eagles Football Group.
The club is set to appeal the decision, but it will not affect the future of the former
READ MORE ON FOOTBALL
The report has suggested that the Frenchman has already completed his medical ahead of the switch.
However, Lacazette will miss out on playing at the club's potential new futuristic stadium.
They currently play at the King Khalid Sports City Stadium in Tabuk but will be moving soon.
The new stadium will be built as part of the plans to construct the city of Neom.
Most read in Football
JOIN SUN VEGAS: GET £50 BONUS
The city will be 106 miles long and is currently being built in the Saudi desert.
There will be two stadiums built as part of the plans, with one boasting a capacity of 45,000 on a cliff edge.
Saudi Arabia release new pictures of 92,000-capacity 'germinating seed' King Salman Stadium ahead of 2034 World Cup
5
The second will be built 350m above the ground and will not be accessible by car.
But for Lacazette, his move comes too soon for him to play in the futuristic grounds.
Their construction is expected to be completed in time for the 2034 World Cup in Saudi Arabia.
This means that Lacazette will be stuck playing in front of at most 12,000 people at home games for the next two seasons.
He will join former Premier League and
5
5
Lacazette spent five years at Arsenal
Credit: Reuters
The defender made 104 appearances for the Baggies before leaving for Saudi giants Al-Ittihad.
Lacazette leaves Lyon after two spells with the club in which he
During his time away from Lyon he starred for Arsenal in the Premier League for five years.
He scored 71 goals and assisted 35 more in 206 outings for the North London side.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Irish Daily Mirror
33 minutes ago
- Irish Daily Mirror
Brentford selected Keith Andrews 'with their eyes open'
Stephen Bradley has hailed Keith Andrews' appointment as Brentford boss as a significant step forward for Irish managers. And the Shamrock Rovers supremo does not believe it is a bold or brave move by the Bees - rather a shrewd and considered appointment. 'They have made this decision with their eyes open and that should fill you with confidence if you're Keith,' said Bradley, who was on the same Pro Licence as Andrews. 'They have obviously seen something that they really, really like.' Click this link or scan the QR code to receive the latest League of Ireland news and top stories from the Irish Mirror. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. If you're curious, you can read our Privacy Notice. Andrews has succeeded new Tottenham manager Thomas Frank on a three-year deal despite having never managed before. He was Brentford's set piece coach and previously had coaching spells with Sheffield United and MK Dons, while he was also Stephen Kenny's assistant with Ireland. Bradley and Andrews enrolled on the same Pro Licence course, but Andrews had to step back after a period of time and defer to a later one due to work commitments. Bradley said: 'Brentford have always been bold and brave in what they've done. We all look at Thomas Frank now as an established, really good manager but he wasn't always. He was an assistant, he was 'B' team. 'The Sparta Prague manager we played against last year, he was 'B' team manager as well and was the next one to come in and got the Sparta offer. They do that regularly.' Bradley had a good working relationship with Brentford's former technical director Rob Rowan before his sad passing aged just 28 in 2018. 'He was the one who set all that in motion and they have stuck to their plan,' said Bradley of Brentford's model of promoting from within. 'If Brentford have given Keith that job, they've given it to him because they really believe in what he does and how he does it. 'They don't look to me like a club that makes rash decisions. They buy well, they sell well, they recruit good players, they recruit good managers and coaches. 'I can only imagine the amount of managers who would have wanted that job, so the fact they have gone straight for him is a massive vote of confidence.' And Bradley continued: 'You can see he is definitely a student of the game. 'He has played at a good level and has done his work in terms of coaching. 'You've seen him on Sky throughout the years and you know within a few minutes of people who do that job if they know what they're talking about, or bluffing. 'You see so many of them on the telly, who look good or have a name. But you can listen to him and know after a few minutes that he knows what he's talking about. 'I texted him today and I'm absolutely delighted, a young Irish manager in the Premier League and I just really, really want it to go well for him.' Meanwhile, Shamrock Rovers put Monday's derby defeat to Bohemians behind them to beat Waterford 1-0 and extend their lead at the top to 11 points. But Aaron Greene is facing a spell on the sidelines due to an ankle injury he shipped against Bohs, with Bradley unclear if the striker will be back in time for Europe. Bradley said: 'It's still a bit swollen so we have to wait until it comes down for it to be x-rayed and see what it looks like. It's very unlike Aaron so we're not sure.' The Hoops boss also revealed he has his eye on two transfer targets from outside the League of Ireland ahead of the window officially opening on Tuesday. Bradley added: 'There's one or two we're looking at and if they're a runner, we'll bring it to the board and see if we can do it.' Get the latest sports headlines straight to your inbox by signing up for free email.
The Irish Sun
an hour ago
- The Irish Sun
Premier League stars set to be interviewed after they're substituted next season as part of in-game TV revolution
PREMIER LEAGUE stars face being interviewed soon after they are subbed next season. Dressing-room cameras will also be allowed but NOT during team talks. 1 Players are set to be interviewed after being substituted Credit: Reuters A number of broadcasting changes were agreed by clubs at the Prem's June annual meeting. But extra access will only be in place for TWO home games per club. Sky Sports will show 215 Prem games, part of a new four-year contract worth £6.7billion. There will be dressing-room access, a half-time player interview or a chat with a substituted player from next season. READ MORE IN FOOTBALL Last season saw half-time player interviews trialled and some fans were not receptive to the introduction. There will also be limitations in place to prevent all the changes from occurring at the same time. But it is expected there will be dressing-room access and player interviews at two home games for all 20 Prem clubs. Another change sees cameramen will be allowed to enter the field of play to capture player celebrations. Most read in Football Sky Sports' expansion will see every Sunday 2pm match broadcast for the first time ever. And six of the opening round of Prem matches will be shown on TV after
The Irish Sun
3 hours ago
- The Irish Sun
Five little-known stars who could be heading to Premier League after dazzling at the Club World Cup for Brazilian clubs
WITH all four of its clubs through to the second round, Brazil has been enjoying a highly successful Club World Cup. This should not come as a complete surprise. Having a tournament like this - with a chance to have a crack at the European giants - is a dream come true for Brazilian football. Advertisement 5 Palmeiras star Estevao has impressed at the Club World Cup Credit: Getty 5 Nottingham Forest-bound Igor Jesus has also impressed in the tournament Credit: AP 5 Colombian Jhon Arias is one to keep an eye on Credit: Getty Even so, one thing remains unaltered. The Brazilian game continues to lose its outstanding talents to Europe - and, increasingly, to the Premier League. Estevao, the Palmeiras wonderkid, joins Gerson, the Flamengo midfielder who was so impressive in the win over Chelsea, appears on the verge of signing for Zenit in Russia - and there is a chance that one of his team-mates may also be on his way across the Atlantic. It was a mistake by Wesley that allowed Chelsea to take the lead last Friday. But the young right back recovered well. Advertisement READ MORE IN FOOTBALL Otherwise, he was defensively sound and his quick forward bursts, both down the touchline and cutting infield, were a consistent part of his team's attacking armoury. The player, who turns 22 in September, made his breakthrough two years ago under Jorge Sampaoli, a coach who loves attacking full-backs. Current boss Filipe Luis was a fine left-back in his playing days, and has helped improve the defensive side of his game. Advertisement Most read in Football BEST FREE BETS AND BETTING SIGN UP OFFERS Wesley has forced his way into the Brazil squad, something which always increases the transfer value, and Flamengo expect to make a big sale in the summer window. There is Premier League interest from Brighton and Chelsea, but there will be plenty of competition from other European giants. How Club World Cup feud was nearly THREE YEARS in the making as two stars 'tried to offer each other out in the tunnel' A Flamengo player who has put himself in the shop window earlier than expected is striker Wallace Yan. Advertisement The club have been bringing the 20-year-old along gently, giving him experience as a late substitute - and now in the USA he has made a real impact, coming off the bench to score against Chelsea and Los Angeles. A rangy figure who can attack from the right or through the middle, he has been running at defences with the nerveless sense of freedom of someone playing a kick-about in the park, and Wolves are said to be interested. With even the biggest Brazilian clubs selling their young stars, one of the ways that they have been becoming more competitive is to buy in from neighbouring countries. In fact, Brazil now treats the rest of South America in the same way that Europe treats Brazil, picking up some of the best talent. Advertisement An excellent recent example is that of Alvaro Montoro, an 18-year-old Argentine who has just been picked up by Botafogo. The attacking midfielder came through the ranks at home with Velez Sarsfield. Club World Cup 2025 Guide SOME of the world's biggest clubs are in action at this summer's Club World Cup in the United States! Chelsea, Paris Saint-Germain, Real Madrid, Man City, and Inter Miami are among the 32 teams taking part in the tournament, which runs from June 14 to July 13. The likes of Lionel Messi, Kylian Mbappe, Erling Haaland, Ousmane Dembele, Cole Palmer and Harry Kane are showcasing their skills to packed crowds across the US. INFO Everything you need to know about the Club World Cup LATEST NEWS & FEATURES Club World Cup top scorers His breakthrough came in this year's group stages of the Copa Libertadores, South America's Champions League. His skill and strength of character were quickly apparent as he weighed in with three goals. Botafogo signed him on the eve of the Club World Cup. Advertisement They have been delighted by his displays in training - and even more with the substitute appearances he has been making during the competition, where he is looking entirely at home in high pressure situations. Great things are expected. 5 Big things are expected of Botafogo star Alvaro Montoro Credit: Getty One who has been producing great things for a while is Colombia's Jhon Arias, the star man in the Fluminense side. He was not considered a big name in 2021 when he was still at home with Independiente Santa Fe. But Fluminense played against him, liked what they saw and picked him up for a bargain fee. Advertisement A squat little figure, for the Colombia national side he is often used as a disciplined member of a central midfield trio. For Fluminense he is a right winger with freedom to roam. He combines well, turns and surges at the opposing defence and - and he showed against Ulsan of South Korea, he strikes a mean free-kick. Arias was by far the best Fluminense player in the side that went down 4-0 to He demonstrated that he could hold his own in such company, and it is surprising that major European clubs did not make a move. Advertisement Age is against him - he turns 28 in September, and the current market prefers teenagers. But he is so good - and versatile - that someone should surely take a chance. Another Colombian international midfielder who has made his name in Brazil is Richard Rios of Palmeiras. His is a fascinating story. Rios was a futsal player, representing his country in an international tournament in Rio. Flamengo liked what they saw, and offered him an 11-a-side career. Advertisement After bouncing around between Brazil and Mexico, Palmeiras acquired him in 2023 and he has since become a fixture for club and country. Rangy, classy, dynamic and competitive - sometimes too competitive - Rios had an excellent Copa America last year and is confirming the good impression in the current tournament. He has just turned 25, and Palmeiras expect to make a sale in the summer window, with 5 Man Utd are interested in signing Richard Rios Palmeiras Credit: Getty Advertisement
