Arsenal has been busy the past days, figuring out who will stay and who will go. There will be new players coming in but there will be holdovers. One of the more prominent names is Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang who is likely to be given a new deal soon. Some will follow but one player holding low chances of being kept is Alexandre Lacazette.
The 29-year-old has not exactly been performing well this season and such has led most to speculate that Lacazette is likely to be let go. With the Gunners having their share of financial issues, the French football player is more likely to be sold this summer, the Telegraph reported. Even before this, his current role of playing behind Eddie Nketiah was already something that a signal that Lacazette may be better off trying his luck with another club.
But given these hard times, that is easier said than done. With a woeful performance, teams who have taken note of his showing are unlikely to prioritize him. Some teams may gamble but unlikely to give him a decent salary. It is an unfortunate situation but anything can still happen moving forward.
Aside from Aubameyang, other familiar names are dealing with contract standoffs. One is David Luiz who most felt would be an easy issue to resolve. But as it turned out, the Brazilian's side wants a two-year deal instead of activating the current one. The Gunners are reportedly reluctant to agree to a longer-term pact. There is a chance it may go down although Luiz may have to settle for a lower salary.
There is also the case of Mesut Ozil. The German football player was held out in the Gunners game against Manchester City, something that sent off mixed signals. Arteta, later on, explained that the tactical decision was because he felt the 31-year-old was not in top form. He wants Ozil to work himself back to playing shape and reiterated he remains a vital piece of the team.
But those words from Arteta may only pertain for this season. Though his contract runs until next summer, the Gunners are trying to manage their finances. Ozil owns a $432,000 a week salary, numbers that management wants to be addressed. A possible move is to place Ozil on loan with Arsenal paying a portion of that next season. As of this writing, no club has expressed interest in Ozil though that may change in the summer.
