Alexandre Lacazette set to be offered contract extension by Arsenal

Posted Friday, May 14, 2021 by 101 GREAT GOALS

Lacazette offered a 12-month extension

Amidst plenty of speculation surrounding Arsenal's striker position ahead of next season, reports have emerged , from the reliable football.london, that Mikel Arteta is ready to hand 29-year-old Alexandre Lacazette a 12-month contract extension.

The Frenchman has been in and out of the side this season, netting 17 goals in his 42 appearances across all competitions. Lacazette, who will be 30 by the time next season begins, had been linked with moves to Atletico Madrid and Olympique Lyonnais, from whom he joined Arsenal in the summer of 2017.

The hitman has struggled to nail down a place in the Gunners side, and was further marginalised by the signing of Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang for a club-record fee. 65 goals in 148 appearances is not a poor return, but certainly worse than what was expected from a £48m striker in the prime of his career. There was a feeling amongst Arsenal fans that the upcoming window was the last chance to get any sizeable fee for Lacazette, although it must be noted that a contract extension does not rule out his sale in the summer.

According to the report, Lacazette continues to mull over the contract offered to him, and it remains to be seen whether he will choose to run down his current deal and leave for free in 2022. Were he to stay, it would cause a significant selection headache for Mikel Arteta, who already has the experienced Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang to call on, as well as the exciting duo of Gabriel Martinelli and Folarin Balogun waiting in the wings.

The Latest on Brazilian duo:

According to Chris Wheatley, there is little chance of Willian leaving the Emirates this summer. The ex-Chelsea winger opened his Arsenal account in the 3-1 win over West Brom last weekend, but has struggled to have any real influence on a poor Gunners side, leaving many fans questioning if he deserves to stay beyond the summer window.

David Luiz, on the other hand, is out of contract in June, and may well have played his last game for the Gunners, as a hamstring injury means that he will miss the remainder of the season. When asked about the future of the Brazilian ahead of his side's meeting with Chelsea on Wednesday, Arteta said:

"At the end of the season, the decision will be made."

Holding onto two or all of an ageing trio on high wages will concern Arsenal fans, who had been hoping to see the club act in a "ruthless" manner this summer, as Arteta claimed they must. Not only does it affect how much money could be spent, but also takes up three valuable non-homegrown player spots in their Premier League squad, seriously damaging the potential extent of an Arsenal overhaul ahead of next season.