Arsenal: Does Alexandre Lacazette injury undermine January window?

Alexandre Lacazette, having undertaken knee surgery on Tuesday, is set to miss up to six weeks of action. Does his injury undermine Arsenal’s January transfer business?

Alexandre Lacazette’s surgery could not have come at a worse time: After a series of underwhelming performances crippled his own confidence; before his chance to lay down his marker as a challenger for Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang’s starting role as the Arsenal spearhead.

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Because of Borussia Dortmund’s presence in the Europa League, Aubameyang is unavailable for Arsene Wenger to select. Lacezette, then, would be given his opportunity. Or so we all thought.

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Wenger has since commented on the news of Lacazette’s surgery and subsequent expected six-week absence in an interview with BEIN Sports, and what he had to say was extremely interesting indeed, if a little concerning. Here is his full answer when asked about the details of Lacazette’s injury:

"“He got a surprising swell of the knee after the game against Tottenham and he needed surgery very quick. It’s a massive blow for us and we have to find a solution. Nobody could predict that. Football does unpredictable things and it’s always a good opportunity for someone to step in and do well. I think he recently must have felt something in his knee. Maybe that’s an explanation as to why he wasn’t scoring as many goals as he’s used to.”"

You may have detected a little hypocrisy and confusion there. Firstly, Wenger said that the effects of the Spurs’ game were ‘surprising’, stating that is was ‘unpredictable’ and that surgery was needed ‘very quick’. But, in the same answer, he then proceeds to question whether this injury was why Lacazette had been struggling, ‘maybe that’s an explanation as to why he wasn’t scoring as many goals as he’s used to.’

That thinking has been reported by some media outlets. If so, it casts the credibility and wisdom of Arsenal’s January transfer business into great doubt. Namely, the selling of Olivier Giroud, no less than to a rival who were searching for the perfect replacement striker.

Giroud had been the staple striker of the Gunners’ European endeavours up until this point, with Lacazette playing in the league. With the moves made in January, there seemed to be a simple rotation: Aubameyang takes over the Premier League role; Lacazette takes over the Europa League role; Giroud moves on. Only, Lacazette is now injured and Aubameyang can’t play in Europe.

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If Wenger had known that this injury was at least present and could have had had an effect this season, then his decision to sell Giroud only becomes more baffling. Now, he will be relying on Danny Welbeck to lead the line, and that’s not good for anyone.