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Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has claimed that the club will evaluate forward Alexandre Lacazette’s future with the Gunners at the end of the season.
Lacazette is set to be among a few Arsenal talents who will be out of a contract later this year, which will grant him the opportunity to leave the club as a free transfer. The French forward opted to sign with Arsenal from Olympique Lyonnais on a five-year permanent transfer deal in 2017 and has since not come to terms with club officials on a contract extension agreement.
In speaking following Arsenal’s 3-2 Premier League away win over Watford, Arteta was asked whether he would want to keep the soon-to-be free agent at the club. For now, the Spanish manager is not interested in engaging in such talks.
“It is the case,” Arteta said. “I said to you, at the end of the season where we know where we are, we’ll sit down … we’ll decide what we do to move forward.”
Arteta did note last April that Lacazette’s future with the club would be addressed in the summer transfer window, although not much transpired with this matter over the period. The Arsenal manager later mentioned in October that “anything is possible” regarding the Frenchman’s contract status.
Lacazette notched a pair of assists in the win over Watford. The French international still has not scored a league goal since his penalty score in the 5-0 win against Norwich City in the first half of the season, although he now sits at seven assists recorded in the campaign so far.
While Lacazette has not been chipping in with goals as of late, Arteta is much pleased to see the French talent emerge as a playmaker within the team.
“I think he’s had really good moments in terms of goal-scoring records, probably better than what he’s doing right now, but for what we ask of him and for what I ask of him and the contribution that I need from him, I think he’s doing really, really well,” Arteta said.
Next up for Arsenal will be a key home league clash against Leicester City.
