Alexandre Lacazette is set for crunch talks with the Arsenal board over his future at the club, according to ESPN.
The French striker has been linked with a move away from the Emirates, as the Gunners seek to fund a summer rebuild.
According to reports, he is happy in North London, but the 29-year-old will seek an exit if playing time can’t be guaranteed.
Lacazette’s future
Mikel Arteta is seeking to use this transfer window to rebuild the squad that finished eighth in the Premier League last season.
However, due to the financial implications of the coronavirus pandemic, he only has limited funds to do this.
While the Spaniard would like to keep Lacazette, there is a reluctant understanding at the club that he would be allowed to leave if an offer in the region of £40m were to come in.
Both Atletico Madrid and Juventus have been linked in recent months. It is understood that neither are willing to match that asking price though.
Arteta speaks out
Despite the reports, manager Mikel Arteta has insisted that Lacazette wants to stay at the Emirates.
In a press conference ahead of Arsenal’s Premier League opening fixture with Fulham the Spaniard revealed they have spoken informally about the striker’s future.
When asked if Lacazette wants to stay, the FA Cup winning-manager said “Yes, I think he is very happy here. That is my feeling and what I got from that conversation.”
Arteta also confirmed how highly he rates the player stating: “I know how good he is, the impact he’s having.”
Competition up top at Arsenal –
After struggling with his form last season, Lacazette found himself dropped in place of Eddie Nketiah in February. Since then the two have battled it out for the starting position at the Emirates
Nketiah again outlined his potential with four more goals for the England under-21s against Kosovo and Austria.
Mikel Arteta was keen to emphasise that Lacazette has a positive attitude regarding the competition.
“He knows about the competition he has as well with the front players so again he needs to demand himself to be the best striker at this football club the same as the rest and he was very happy to hear that and the way he’s been training and conducting [himself] has been excellent.”
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