Arsenal: Champions League patience sensible

It has been reported that both Alexandre Lacazette and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang are waiting to see if Arsenal will qualify for the Champions League before committing their future to the club. Such patience is simply sensible.

Here we are again: Arsenal stressing about the futures of their key players because their contracts have been allowed to run into the final two years. After the drama of Robin van Persie, Mesut Ozil and Alexis Sanchez, and Aaron Ramsey, the Gunners now repeating the harrowing process with Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Alexandre Lacazette.

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The situation is a little more nuanced this time around. Whereas in previous years, the prime goal was to keep the players, because of Aubameyang’s age and Lacazette’s poor form, allied with excellent value in the transfer market that could be used to reinvest in other positions, selling is not as an obtuse option this time around. Nevertheless, the longer Arsenal leave it, the more difficult the situation will become, whether they choose to then attempt to extend their contracts or sell.

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Aubameyang currently has a little over a year remaining on his deal. This summer, he will either have to agree to an extension or be sold. Leaving for nothing a year later is unacceptable. And this week, John Cross of The Mirror reported that the club have entered into contract discussions with Aubameyang.

Aubameyang, however, is stalling. He wants to see if new head coach Mikel Arteta can lead the team back into the Champions League. Arsenal are currently in the Round of 32 in the Europa League and will look to go far in the competition. They also sit four and seven points behind fifth and fourth place in the Premier League respectively and could look to close that gap over the remainder of the year.

Lacazette, meanwhile, was rumoured to have a Champions League-related release clause in his contract that allows him to leave the club for a certain price should the team fail to qualify for Europe’s elite competition once again.

However, in a pre-match press conference on Wednesday before the second leg against Olympiakos, Lacazette vehemently denied it:

"“I didn’t know about this [agreement]. I have a contract with the club, so there is no point for me to leave if everyone is happy with me at the club.”"

Ultimately, both Lacazette and Aubameyang are well within their rights to take their time regarding contract extensions. Neither should be forced to sign a new deal and they both want to see the trajectory of the team before they commit either way. This is especially pertinent given that Arteta is only two months into the new job.

These players are capable of playing and have desires to play in the Champions League. It is the pinnacle competition in the sport, the one that every remotely ambitious footballer wants to be a part of. And Lacazette and Aubameyang are of a calibre that deserves to be playing at the highest level.

So while it may be frustrating that they are refusing to commit their future to Arsenal, they are well within their rights to stall. In fact, Champions League patience is just sensible, and there is nothing Arsenal can do about it.