Lucas Perez, Lukas Podolski, Park Chu-Young, Eduardo, Julio Baptista.
The last five wearers of Arsenal’s No. 9 shirt will not exactly go down as legends of the club.
We’ve crunched the numbers and the No. 9’s past five incumbents scored a grand total of 55 goals in a combined 177 appearances for the Gunners… Not what you’d call prolific, by any means.
Since 2000, nine different players have worn the No. 9 at the club and none of them have been able to keep a hold of it for more than three seasons.
According to the club store, Arsenal’s latest summer signing has been entrusted to break that trend and make the shirt his own for many years to come.
We've confirmed @LacazetteAlex's squad number…
You'll find it here 👉 https://t.co/5SkaUcofDu pic.twitter.com/Z5ileWj9Dl
— Arsenal (@Arsenal) July 11, 2017
It was announced on Tuesday that Alexandre Lacazette would wear the No. 9 for the upcoming season following on from his £52.7 million switch from Lyon last week.
“I am, of course, delighted and very proud too because Arsenal is a legendary club,” Lacazette told Arsenal’s official website of the move. “Throughout my childhood, thanks to Thierry Henry and other French players, I always dreamed of playing for this club so today that dream has been fulfilled.
“The fact that the manager has been here for a while shows that it is a stable club which I like. In addition there are quite a few French players here, which makes it easier to settle in. In my opinion, Arsenal is also the club that plays the best football in England so I really wanted to come here.”
Having broken their transfer record, Arsenal’s signing of Lacazette has been deemed a massive statement of intent for the campaign ahead, while fans hope and pray that the 26-year-old can break their No. 9 curse.
Hope Lacazette breaks the #9 curse
— Henry (@TheHighburyKing) July 11, 2017
I pray to god that Lacazette will finally break the N0.9 Arsenal curse 😅
— tom. (@TomC97_) July 11, 2017
Oh my… Please break the curse, Lacazette. https://t.co/L4NqnHS4Wp
— Jalan Arsenal (@JalanArsenal) July 11, 2017
Lacazette will end the number 9 jersey curse…
— Luwi (@__Lwando) July 11, 2017
https://twitter.com/amirulfariq/status/884699611461410816
Lacazette getting the no 9…. Has to change history of our no 9s… Confident he'll change the no 9 curse…. Let's go Lacazette…#afc
— Arsene My Hero (@TejasAFC) July 11, 2017
Lacazette gets the cursed no.9 shirt. Monreal ended the no.18 curse, time for Lacazette to end this one! 😎
— Tom (@TomHumphrey93) July 11, 2017
Finally the no 9 curse will be broken 👏👏
— P™ (@SemperFiArsenal) July 11, 2017
https://twitter.com/AFCRocket147/status/884706510990962688
