Mikel Arteta has revealed that discussions are underway with Alexandre Lacazette regarding his Arsenal future.
The Frenchman joined the Gunners in 2017 on the back of a fantastic season in Ligue 1 for Olympique Lyonnais. He has amassed 173 appearances for the north London club, scoring 67 goals and registering 29 assists in the process.
Lacazette’s current contract expires at the end of the season. He just made three appearances this campaign and many fans have presumed that this is his final year in the Red and White shirt. However, Arteta has claimed that ‘everything is open’.
The Arsenal boss, in his latest press conference, lauded the 30-year-old’s character. When asked about the striker’s future, he responded that the discussions are happening internally and anything can still happen. The Spaniard said:
“We disclosed that internally and we disclosed that with him. There’s a long season ahead of us – anything can happen, everything is open. He just needs to concentrate on performing and contributing to the team like he always does.
“He’s a phenomenal character. He’s somebody that is always pushing and has a real interest to help the team. That is not going to change – and after we will see what happens.”
Arsenal Fever View:
The north Londoners spent a fortune to secure the French striker’s services. It is fair to say that he has not lived up to the expectations. Since his arrival, Lacazette has failed to score more than 15 league goals in a single season, which is simply not good enough for an Arsenal striker.
Talented youngsters like Folarin Balogun and Gabriel Martinelli have been knocking on the doors for a senior team appearance. The Gunners run the risk of losing him for free next year and it would only be sensible to offload him in the winter transfer window. They have, in the past, offered lucrative contracts to aging players only to regret it later.
Arsenal’s transfer strategy also suggests that it is unlikely that Lacazette will be handed a contract extension. Their priority has been to bring in young players and unfortunately for the 30-year-old, he does not fit that bill anymore.
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