Arsenal: Alexandre Lacazette exit about more than happiness

Alexandre Lacazette has denied the claims that he is leaving Arsenal this summer, claiming that he is happy. But an exit is determined by much more than that.

Since the summer is fast approaching, it only makes sense that the exit rumors are beginning. It also makes sense that these rumors would pick on Alexandre Lacazette, the reigning Arsenal player of the season who is absolutely not going to defend that honor.

Lacazette’s year has been one to forget, and while there is still time to turn it around, the likelihood is rather… dim.

For starters, he’s no longer a starter. Mikel Arteta has let Eddie Nketiah take the reigns in the Premier League, and until Nketiah does something that proves he isn’t up to the task, he will keep the job. Seeing as how he is only getting better, that potential swap is a long way out.

Meanwhile, Lacazette has just six goals and three assists in the Premier League. That’s not bad for, say, a midfielder. But for a starting striker? Pretty bad. Even judging by the standards that Lacazette does more than score goals.

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This year, he hasn’t.

So the rumors tying him to an exit weren’t exactly surprising, nor was his response. As any good player would, he denied them and said that he was happy at the club, so why would he want to leave? Fair game.

The problem with that logic is that this is a two-way street, and if Lacazette isn’t producing at the level he needs to be producing at (which he isn’t since he’s been passed up by Eddie Nketiah), the club has every right to consider moving on from him. For the benefit of both parties.

I’m sure that Lacazette doesn’t want to watch a 20-year-old supplant his job. Nor does he want to be the midweek guy. He expects more from himself than that. We expect more from him than that too, but we haven’t gotten it all year and, in the meantime, Mikel Arteta has proven that Lacazette may or may not be needed. But given that he holds decent value in the transfer market, he could be an easy sell to help fund more necessary purchases.

But I’m getting a bit ahead of myself here. Sure, he isn’t at his best. Still, let’s see how the season plays out before we go wishing him away too easily.