Alexandre Lacazette won't leave Arsenal in January despite the risk of losing him for nothing at the end of the season, according to Gunners boss Mikel Arteta.
The Frenchman has found himself on the periphery of the squad recently, and earned his first Premier League start of the season in Friday’s 3-1 win over Aston Villa.
That came after the 30-year-old came off the bench to score a last-gasp equaliser against Crystal Palace last weekend, a timely reminder of his eye for goal.
Lacazette’s contract expires in June and the Sun reports that he hasn’t been offered an extension, but Arteta nevertheless expects him to stick around for the rest of the season.
“Big players running down their contracts is happening more than probably ever before,” he said.
“There is a reason for this and we are not the only club facing these kind of situations after everything else we have had to do over the past 18 months.
“We just have to try to deal with the issues we face in the best possible way, but there are no plans for Laca to leave us in January.
“He is our player and I will continue to treat him like everyone else, no matter how long he has left on his contract, because that’s what he deserves.”
Arteta also underlined that he has no doubts about the France international’s commitment despite his contract situation, while he left the door open to a future renewal.
“I never had any doubts that Laca would continue to give us everything. If I did, I probably would have suggested doing something different with him in the summer,” he said.
“It’s not the case with Laca that he cannot find his motivation and is only interested in his financial future.
“He has shown that every single day since I have been here and that’s why he is still a really important player for us.
“We have to accept his situation and see what will be the best option for everyone at the end of the season. Anything is possible.”
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