Alexandre Lacazette has admitted the language barrier is causing him problems as he looks to settle at Arsenal.
The France international joined the Gunners earlier in the summer from Lyon in a deal that could reach £52million.
He’s already featured in a few pre-season games and was in the starting line-up for the Community Shield clash with Chelsea.
But it seems he needs some more time to settle – if only to gain a better grasp of English.
‘I have to adapt to the language, to understand my coach and my team-mates,’ the 26-year-old told BT Sport.
‘There are only five of us, I think, who speak French in the group so it’s not easy to talk to my team-mates. But I’m getting used to it.
‘Sometimes they laugh at accent, but it’s okay.’
Lacazette’s lack of English may have something to do with him skipping language lessons when he was at school.
Former Rangers defender Sebastien Faure, who went to the same school as Lacazette and played with him at the Lyon academy and for France, revealed the Arsenal striker would skip class to spend more time playing football or pursuing girls.
‘Sometimes we didn’t go to class, preferring to play football or sometimes chasing girls,’ he told The Sun.
‘Alexandre used to skip English lessons so it took him longer than most to learn the language.’
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Lacazette added that the pressure of being Arsenal’s record goalscorer could also cause problems – but he’s determined to make it a positive.
‘There’s a small pressure, yes, because the fans are expecting a lot from me. But I think it’s a positive pressure.
‘It can only help me move forward, to progress and to repay the confidence of the fans and the club since a lot of money has been invested in me.’
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