The transfer fee is also a new record sale for the Ligue 1 outfit, worth an initial 53m euros, according to a statement on the Lyon website.

The deal beats the 50m euros that Arsenal paid to bring Mesut Ozil to the Emirates from Real Madrid in 2013, while it sees Lyon break their highest sale for the second time in a month after seeing midfielder Corentin Tolisso move to Bayern Munich for 47.5m euros.

Arsenal said the 26-year-old had signed a «long-term contract», which British media reported to be for five years.