Should he want to, Alex Lacazette can sign a pre-contract agreement with a foreign club in just over a month. Given he’s still a regular starter for Mikel Arteta, it’s not ideal. All the same, the Spaniard doesn’t seem particularly concerned.
Many moons ago, the Gunners tried to persuade the Frenchman to sign a new long-term contract but after initial talks stalled, neither party has been particularly eager to revive them. Last summer, when we had the option to recoup some cash for the striker, we opted not to and now we seem resigned to losing him for free or at least leaving a decision until the last moment.
Given the wages he’ll be able to command, his veteran status and his struggles to complete 90 minutes, it seems a more sensible option than chucking cash at him and hoping for a repeat of his stellar 2018/19 season.
Ahead of the Newcastle game, Arteta touched on the Lacazette contract countdown.
“It’s the situation that we have, whether you are concerned or not,” he said.
“Things have happened in the last few seasons for different players, where those possibilities are there.
“Sometimes the club has more control and sometimes the player has some more control. The important thing is that communication is clear, and the intentions of both parties – while they are together – are very clear.”
Giving context to why he’s not concerned, Arteta added: “That’s a position that’s happening more and more in football.
“He is not the only one, we have a few (Mo Elneny, Calum Chambers, Sead Kolasinac, Eddie Nketiah).
“That’s something we have to deal with – with contracts that they were coming from a few years ago – with certain particularities.
“We knew that was the case. I have already spoken with them individually about how we have to handle those situations the best possible way, and that’s it.”
For now, so long as Lacazette keeps working his socks off, it seems he, and the others in a similar situation, will be considered for every match between now and the end of the season.
“The demands don’t change,” he said. “Whether you have a 6 month, or 6 year contract you are still employed at the club. You are here because you are willing to be here, and you have to perform at a ten, and there is nothing different with respects to anybody.”
30 years old, not too many years remaining.
I like him a lot so think another season or two would be fine but would like to have some more dynamic, taller, younger strikers.
We should let Laca go end of this season. Phase Auba out next season by keeping him as an option from the bench. We need a striker combining the good bits of Auba and Laca, and this allows Odegaard or an extra midfielder to play in the starting eleven. Now, we are forced to play Auba and Laca making us lightweight in the middle. Erling Haaland would be a dream (c’mon Martin, do it for the love of God) but a more realistic but a difficult transfer to pull off would be Calvert-Lewin and these transfers depend on us reaching… Read more »
DCL ticks most boxes but he only signed a new contract last year which may make a deal somewhat difficult.
Laca works his socks off and he’s very good with the young players but we really should be moving forward and getting someone younger, fitter and more rounded. Depends who’s available I suppose. The contracts given to Mesut Ozil and PEA have been warnings and I don’t think we should go down that route again. Eddie won’t sign so we should focus on Gabi and Flo who are the future and try to find a good striker about 25-27 years old to bridge the age gap. I’m sure Edu’s on the case. Laca is playing for his future at a… Read more »
his fitness leaves a little to be desired. He looks like he’s shifted some weight this year, but has been heavy and slow for a few years.
Loosing Eddie and Callum on a free is a bit galling but I understand it with Mo, Laca and Sead
Stellar season? I must have missed it. He’s a trier but never going to be the goalscorer AW paid 50m quid for.
I think people get confused about Laca’s previous goalscoring record before Arsenal because he was Lyon’s penalty taker. If we had him on pens over Auba his tally would be a lot healthier. He scores them more regularly too.
When we’re in Europe next season, we’ll need three reliable forwards to juggle four competitions. At the moment we really only have two – and they’ll be 33 and 31 when the new season starts. So our marque signing next summer could be a new forward. At the moment I would be in favour in extending Laca for one more year, keep Auba for his final year, with the new signing making up the three options. Balogun needs a year out on loan to get 30 games under his belt, and Eddie will likely leave. Of course Laca himself may… Read more »
I do like Laca but wouldn’t be too upset if he left for a foreign club. Otherwise I think he’d be useful for another year but doubt he’d be up for only that. I think I’d rather we kept hold of Eddie Nketiah, who looked very good in preseason, and gave him more chances next season if we could get him to sign on again.
Arteta is a taskmaster!!!😄😄😄
A thoughtful, understanding, demanding taskmaster. The kind that make really good managers and leaders.
Alright player, but it makes no sense to cling to someone like him at his age.
If he gets a contract for another season or two, he’ll only be a stop-gap anyway.
As a fanbase, we need to learn to let our players go.
Every time he plays we need to make a striker substitution.
Need or choose to?
Those players mentioned I feel before now the club has already analised there production, input and duration over 90min of three matches and decided not to award them contact. Good job to the club, I stand behind you.
We should move on from Laca… and Auba a year later. We need to complete the work of refreshing the squad by getting two, younger, hungry strikers to complement ESR, Saka, Ødegaard and, hopefully, Balogun.
Laca has a short term role as an impact sub if we are chasing a goal, but so much of our play breaks down around him, and his lack of pace is painful to watch. He’s made a decent contribution but shouldn’t be here longer term
If anything we should be paying him less. He’s getting worse and isn’t worth the £100+ he’s on, he’d struggle to get that, even on a bosmen.