London - AFP
Ivory Coast forward Gervinho will shortly join Arsenal, subject to a regulatory process, the English Premier League club announced on Monday. In a statement, Arsenal said the 24-year-old would arrive from Lille, whom he helped to a French league and cup double last season with 15 goals in 40 games. Gervinho scored 28 goals in 67 appearances during two years with Lille, having previously spent two season with rival Ligue 1 side Le Mans. He also captained the Ivory Coast in the 2008 Olympics in Beijing and represented his country at the 2010 World Cup, scoring twice in three substitute appearances during qualification for the finals. So far, he has scored six goals in 27 appearances for his country. The forward came through the same Ivorian youth academy -- ASEC Mimosas -- as new Arsenal team-mate Emmanuel Eboue, before following the right-back to join Belgian side KSK Beveren. Gervinho will arrive at the London club at a tricky time for Arsenal, with long-serving French manager Arsene Wenger under pressure to deliver a trophy after six years without silverware.