Arsene Wenger excited for Alexandre Lacazette's Arsenal career and insists he is 'ready' for the Premier League

Sign up to the Independent's betting newsletter for the latest tips and offers

Sign up to the Independent's betting newsletter

Please enter a valid email address

Please enter a valid email address

SIGN UP

I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice

Arsene Wenger believes Alexandre Lacazette is “stronger every week” and proved during Arsenal’s penalty-shootout win that he is “ready” for the Premier League.

The Frenchman joined the Gunners for a club-record £52m from Lyon at the start of July and scored on his debut during the preseason tour of Asia, as well as on his first appearance at the Emirates during the Emirates Cup.

And he was inches away from marking his first appearance at Wembley in the same way, only for his right-footed curling effort to rebound off the post at the end of a free-flowing counter attack.

He is expected to lead the line ahead of the likes of Olivier Giroud and Danny Welbeck this season, with Alexis Sanchez dropping back to the wide left position and Wenger insists that while he still needs to adapt, his future looks very promising.

“Lacazette is stronger every week,” Wenger said. “He had an interesting game today. I believe today is the first time that you have seen physically that he is ready.

“He still needs to adapt to the intensity of the game but overall he had very interesting moves and I believe that after what we have seen today he will become stronger and stronger.”

All eyes were on how Lacazette would perform prior to kick off, but it was left-back, Sead Kolasinac who stole the show with his powerful performance capped with an 80^th-minute equaliser.

The Bosnian was brought in on a free transfer from Schalke and excited the red half of Wembley with his powerful and energetic runs after replacing the injured Per Mertesacker.

“He came on well. He is normally a wing-back, full-back but he can as well play as a centre-back,” Wenger said.

“He had a very interesting performance last week and I had a hesitation about playing him because I thought maybe Wembley with the pressure, but when he came on he was outstanding.

“He is physical very strong, naturally. You have players who are pumped up in the gym and you have players who are born strong. He is the second part.

“In the Premier League the power plays a part but it is not only that. I took him too because of attitude.

“The game does not tolerate as many weaknesses as it did 20 years ago. You need the combination of talent and attitude. He looks to me like he has the talent but also has a very strong attitude.”