Arsenal will not offer Alexandre Lacazette a new contract as they hope to sell the striker and put the funds towards Mikel Arteta signing Chelsea outcast Tammy Abraham, per The Sun.
The Gunners have decided against awarding Lacazette new terms, despite the Frenchman being in the final year of his deal. Arsenal feel they have rushed into handing players new contracts too soon in the past with Mesut Ozil and captain Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang.
Instead, Arsenal want to move Lacazette on this summer for just £15m, despite paying Lyon £52m for him in 2017. The Emirates Stadium hierarchy have accepted the heavy hit as he’s one of several Arteta deems surplus to requirements.
Arteta has also given Arsenal permission to offload Reiss Nelson, who has Premier League interest, Sead Kolasinac, who’s been offered to Inter Milan, and Eddie Nketiah, who Patrick Vieira wants at Crystal Palace, this summer. But it remains to be seen who, if any, will go.
Arsenal are having to actively search for a buyer willing to pay £15m Lacazette due to his high wage. The Gunners gave the 30-year-old a £182,000-per-week contract upon his arrival in 2017. But have no interest, at present, in extending the Frenchman’s terms.
Instead, the north Londoners want the 16-cap international out the door so they can bring Abraham in. The Telegraph also reported Arsenal’s interest in the Chelsea outcast, who ended last term as their joint-top scorer despite playing twice in their final 13 league games.
Yet, if Arsenal fail to sell Lacazette, Arteta is happy to use the striker as Aubameyang’s back-up. The forward scored consistently last term with 17 goals in all competitions, including 13 in 31 Premier League outings. No Gunners player netted more often altogether.
Arteta risks Lacazette leaving for fee if Arsenal cannot sell this summer
Arteta risks Lacazette leaving Arsenal for free in 2022 if the Spaniard is happy to use the striker next season. There was, arguably, little more he could have offered last season in terms of goals to have earned a new contract. Yet the Gunners are unwilling to offer one.
Lacazette was also available for all but two of the north Londoners’ Premier League fixtures. Even if he failed to feature in five from the bench. The Frenchman also captained the side on occasion, both domestically and in Europe, showing the trust Arteta has in him.
And Arteta was not afraid to praise Lacazette, having hailed the Arsenal forward throughout the term. He said, via football.london, in April for instance: “He’s doing things in a much better way than before and he really glues the team together.”
High praise from Arteta for a player in Lacazette that Arsenal are willing to sell or see leave for free.
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