Arsenal: What is going on with Aubameyang and Lacazette?

When news filtered through on Friday that both Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Alexandre Lacazette were both unavailable for Arsenal in their opening Premier League game due to being unwell, not much was made of it.

Mikel Arteta’s pre-match interview with Sky Sports was interesting, to say the least.

"“They feel unwell, that’s all I can say,” he said with a smile. “It is [a big miss] but in a world we live in I think the only permanent thing now are changes instead of seeking for excuses, we’re seeking for solutions.”"

At face value, it seems like the pair are genuinely unwell and we can’t expect otherwise. However, during his interview, it did look like Arteta wanted to say more but held back, which for some Arsenal fans, tells a much bigger story.

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What is going on with Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Alexandre Lacazette at Arsenal with the pair both still absent with illness?

So, the Gunners were without its two first-choice strikers for the Brentford clash and not much was made of it. But what has raised red flags is reports that the pair have now been ruled out of the club’s upcoming clash with Chelsea.

Many have questioned why the pair were listed as such so far from actual kick-off. Given we do not fully understand what is affecting the pair it is just speculation, yet with them missing out again it could be something worse than initially anticipated. How serious is their respective illness? Their well-being is paramount.

Not much was made of the pair’s absence when the news dropped, but now confirmed out by the Mirror, amid reports of Arteta wanting to sell his captain on top of the Frenchman, the timing naturally raised a few eyebrows.

News of wanting to sell Aubameyang comes just 12 months after the 32-year-old signed a new £350k-per-week deal, as the club has serious concerns about his current goalscoring form. Or lack of it.

The potential sale of Aubameyang could help fund Arsenal’s transfer targets and could be a significant plus in rebuilding what is a poor team at the moment. After being in unplayable form during his first two years at the Emirates in which he found the back of the net 60 times, the goals have dried up, only netting 15 times in all competitions last term with just ten of them coming in the Premier League.

What is equally concerning is that the Arsenal captain has not scored in pre-season despite playing in all of the club’s six matches.

Then there is Lacazette. The Frenchman is in the final year of his current deal with the club yet to tie him down to a new contract or move him on. So, naturally, rumours have begin to circulate, none of which should be heavily speculated on until more is known of the pair’s health. The way it has been handled is peculiar, though.

Lacazette had a better season than the Arsenal skipper and offers more going forward than the Gabonese currently does. However, with less than 12 months left on his deal, surely, he cannot be allowed to go for free next season.

If the choice was to be made on either, then Lacazette should be the one that stays. Firstly, he is younger than Aubameyang, and secondly, he is on considerably less money. While he might not be the prolific goalscorer that Aubameyang is (or was), the fact is the captain would raise a bigger fee this summer if sold (which is nigh-on impossible), and Lacazette currently offers more to the team.

It would be hard to envisage that Arsenal sells both at the same time, let alone one with the way the window is panning out, while it leaves little time left to sign a replacement. With just two weeks left to go in the summer window, the future of both strikers is murky as best.