Arsenal: 3 other contract decisions Gunners must make

2. Alexandre Lacazette

Alexandre Lacazette is Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang but a year behind and two years younger. A crucial player who Arsenal have heavily depended on in recent years, but might want one final big move as he enters the latter stages of his career and is not likely to be a part of Mikel Arteta’s long-term plan, Lacazette poses a difficult decision.

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Lacazette’s contract expires in 2022, the same summer as Nketiah’s. Unlike Nketiah, selling Lacazette this summer would not throw potential high upside out the window. Arsenal know what he is, which is a very good Premier League centre-forward. But that means they can also much more accurately forecast what they might be without him, and how difficult he would be to replace.

As was the case with Aubameyang last summer, the club must be decisive. The time to make a judgement call on Lacazette’s future has come, and they must determine whether he is to be a key player under Arteta or not. Once they have made that decision, the rest is simple.

If Arteta wants Lacazette and believes he is critical to the long-term project, Arsenal must sign him to a long-term deal this summer. If Arteta thinks differently, or if Lacazette is unwilling to sign a new contract, selling is the only option. But that is only advantageous if he is sold this summer while his value is still high. Next year is too late. It is time to make a decision.