Arsenal news: Mikel Arteta break silence on Alexandre Lacazette’s future

Arsenal news: The Gunners captain Alexandre Lacazette is currently in the final year of his contract at the club. He is allowed to sign a pre-contract with clubs outside the UK and leave the club for free at the end of the season.

His former club Lyon FC is among the clubs looking to sign him during the upcoming summer transfer window. The French club’s president Jean-Michel Aulas publically expressed his desire to sign Lacazette in recent weeks.

The 30-year-old striker joined the 13-times English Champions for a club-record £46.5 million in the summer transfer window of 2017. He helped the Gunners win the FA Community Cup in 2017 and the FA Cup during the 2018-19 season. Lacazette also played a starring role in the Londoners’ run to the final of the UEFA Europa League 2018-19, scoring five goals in 10 appearances.

The Lyon-born attacker won the Arsenal Player of the Season 2018-19 and also claimed the Premier League Goal of the Month in December 2021.

Arsenal news: Arteta breaks silence on Lacazette future

Read more: Aaron Ramsdale credited for keeping Gunners top four chances alive

The Gunners manager Mikel Arteta has given an update on Alexandre Lacazette’s future at the club. Speaking ahead of the Gunners’ fixture against Leicester City, he said:

“We agreed the decision is to do it in the summer [assess the situation] and that’s when we are going to do it.”

The 30-year old attacker played a vital role in the Gunners’ push for a ‘top-four’ finish in the Premier League this season. He scored 3 goals and seven assists in 20 league appearances so far this season.

His link-up play and ability to combine with wingers have driven a lot of praise from critics in recent weeks. No player has registered more assists (seven) than Lacazette since he inherited the armband from Aubameyang in December last year.

©️ Since inheriting the Arsenal captaincy from Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang in December, Alexandre Lacazette has registered at least two more assists (7) than any other Premier League player pic.twitter.com/ci3hJuP8Er

— WhoScored.com (@WhoScored) March 10, 2022

The London-based club is on the verge of an offensive crisis. Arsenal has lost their captain Pierre Emerick-Aubamenyang for free to Barcelona earlier this season. Young star Eddie Nketiah is also in the final year of his contract at the club, along with Lacazette.

This leaves them with Gabriel Martinelli as the only senior forward on the team. Mikel Arteta might have to assemble an entirely new forward line at the end of the season.

What’s next?

The London-based club registered a narrow 3-2 victory against Watford last weekend, putting pressure on their ‘top-four’ rivals. They moved into fourth place with a victory against the Hornets, one point above Manchester United.

Arteta’s side is currently on a four-game winning streak and will be looking to add one more when they lock horns against Leicester City on Sunday.