However, Arteta has said that there have been no talks with the France international striker over a new deal, with the 29-year-old out of contract at Arsenal in the summer of 2022.
The Spaniard made the comments following Arsenal’s 2-1 win against West Ham United at the Emirates Stadium in the Premier League on Saturday.
The former Lyon star scored the opening goal for the Gunners in the 25th minute.
The Express reported last month that the Gunners could use the 29-year-old in a part-exchange offer to bring in Thomas Partey from Atletico Madrid, as covered by HITC Sport here.
ESPN reported this month that Juventus and Atletico Madrid are interested in signing the Frenchman this summer.
Arteta told The Mirror: “At the moment, we haven’t started any negotiations. We have a lot of things still to do in this market and at the moment we are focusing on those things.”
The Arsenal manager added: “He’s a player I’m really happy with. I think we’ve shown him a lot of faith since I arrived here.
“But we cannot start any speculation. We know that any player who is under two years of their contract is always going to be talked about.”
Keep Alexandre Lacazette
Lacazette is a very good striker who has shown what he is capable of, and Arsenal should keep him, at least for this season.
The Gunners have made a strong start to the season and are aiming to finish in the top four of the Premier League table, and the Frenchman will play an important role in that quest.
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