Arsenal Football Club is delighted
to announce that Moroccan
international striker Marouane
Chamakh has joined the Gunners
on a long-term contract.
Chamakh (26), who joins Arsenal
from French side Bordeaux,
made a total of 293 appearances,
scoring 79 goals during his eight
years with Les Girondins.
In the 2008/09 league campaign,
Chamakh scored 14 goals,
helping Bordeaux win the French
League title, thus ending Lyon ’s
seven-year domination of Ligue
1. The Moroccan striker ’s fine
form continued last season,
playing an integral role in
helping Bordeaux reach the
quarter-finals of the UEFA
Champions League, where they
finished above both Bayern
Munich and Juventus in the
Group Stages.
Born and raised in France, but
playing international football for
Morocco through his parentage,
Chamakh has made 53
appearances for the north
African country, scoring 27
goals, and was part of the side
which reached the Final of the
2004 Africa Cup of Nations.
Manager Arsène Wenger said:
“ We are delighted that Marouane
Chamakh has joined us. He is a
player we have admired for
some time now and I know he
will provide our squad with
great quality. Chamakh has
proved he is a great player with
his performances for Bordeaux
and Morocco in recent seasons
and we ’re all looking forward to
him joining us.
"Chamakh is a striker of real
quality and has all the attributes
suited to come to England and
do very well. He is also a fighter,
not only a good football player,
but a fighter as well. He is very
good in the air and also a good
team player. He is a great
addition to our squad. ”
After completing his move to the
Gunners, Chamakh said: “This is a
dream come true and a great joy
to be joining Arsenal. My goal
was always to play in the
Premier League and Arsenal was
the choice of my heart.
“Without any hesitation, Arsenal
was my preferred club. The team
and history of Arsenal, they
make me dream. My goal was to
join Arsenal out of the all the
English clubs because it is a club
that makes me dream and I have
been a fan since I was a child.
“I’m very excited about playing
at Emirates Stadium in front of
the Arsenal supporters. I have
heard many great things about
the stadium and I cannot wait to
be playing there in an Arsenal
shirt.
“I will give my best to this Club,
the Club that I used to support.
We have many great players at
Arsenal and I will be giving
everything to help the team win
trophies next season. ”
Ivan Gazidis, Chief Executive of
Arsenal Football Club added:
“ Arsène has been following the
progress of Marouane Chamakh
for some time and has identified
him as a player that will add
significant strength to our
squad. We ’re delighted that
Marouane has chosen Arsenal
ahead of the many other clubs
that were interested in him. ”
Chamakh, who will wear the
number 29 shirt for Arsenal, will
join up with his new team-mates
for pre-season training in July.