Arsenal: 3 reasons to sell Alexandre Lacazette

2. Looming contract problems

This summer, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang has just one year remaining on his contract. He has stalled negotiations regarding a new deal and seemingly wants to leave the club if the team fails to secure Champions League football, which is quite likely at this stage.

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Arsenal are in a bind with Aubameyang. He will be 31 this summer, is still the team’s best performer and most important piece, and yet they might be forced into offloading him and trying to replace him despite selling in a cut-price deal because of his contract. It is not an easy situation to be in.

Should Aubameyang leave, it might seem silly to also sell Lacazette, the next best attacking player at the club, and by some distance. However, as the current Aubameyang situation highlights, allowing key players to enter the final years of their contracts is rarely a smart thing to do, and Lacazette is only one year behind.

This summer, Lacazette will have two years remaining on his current deal. He will also turn 29 in late May. This might be the only time that Arsenal have a chance to seriously cash in and then reinvest that money in a younger alternative. Even with Aubameyang potentially on the way out, the looming contract trouble with Lacazette perhaps suggests both should be sold.