Mikel Arteta has confirmed that he will wait until the summer to resolve Alexandre Lacazette’s uncertain future amid interest from Roma, Sevilla and Atletico Madrid.
According to The Guardian, the Arsenal manager has suggested that Lacazette’s prospects of earning a new deal at the Emirates depend on the team’s performance between now and the end of the season.
The French striker has 13 goals in all competitions this season, and three in his last four Premier League games, helping to secure wins against Leicester City and Tottenham Hotspur and a draw with West Ham United after going 3-0 down in the first half.
“The situation with Laca we will address in the summer, speak to him and just propose the future we want and that’s it,” said Arteta.
“Everything is related to where we are, how much we win and where we are playing next season. There are no exceptions, and we all need to be clear with that, with the context we have right now in our industry.”
The effect of the coronavirus pandemic has hit many clubs hard, resulting in a substantial loss of revenue as more than a year of matches have been played behind closed doors.
Arsenal will need to factor that in, as well as the consequences of potentially failing to qualify for Europe this season, when deciding whether to renew the contracts of some of their high earners in the coming months.
Lacazette, who joined from Lyon for £46.5million in July 2017, will soon turn 30 and have a single year left on his current deal.
On the other hand, Arteta acknowledged that Lacazette’s recent showings could act in his favour as the club decide whether or not to extend his stay.
“I think he has been in really good form for months now. He is sustaining that level, scoring goals and providing the team with something different as well. His workrate has been phenomenal and it’s what we want,” said the manager.
