The Arsenal case for handing Lacazette a new contract

With his career at Arsenal seemingly teetering to a close, Alexandre Lacazette has emerged from the shadows to lead the top four charge and demonstrated exemplary behaviour after being summoned by Mikel Arteta following Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang’s ouster.

The Frenchman’s return to the starting line up has coincided with a sharp uptick in form, with Arsenal scoring more goals and becoming favourites to clinch the top four spot ahead of Manchester United and Spurs.

And while Lacazette has been short on goals recently, his two assists at Watford should dispel any questions about his importance to the team.

The Frenchman has an unparalleled understanding with his supporting act, laying off impudent and precise balls at Watford for Bukayo Saka and Gabriel Martinelli to score and haul the side a giant stride into the coveted champions league spots.

https://twitter.com/footballdaily/status/1500511931039461380

The Arsenal case for handing Alexandre Lacazette a new contract isn’t based just on his Premier League goal return – he offers much more than that

He was also involved in Arsenal’s winning goals against Wolves both home and away, and clinched an assist in the game against Brentford sandwiched in between.

Strikers are, of course, expected to contribute goals, but Lacazette has embraced the role of setting his teammates up and now has seven assists to his name in his last nine games alone, more than Bruno Fernandes and Mason Mount despite playing far fewer minutes.

Some critics point to Lacazette’s unimpressive goals tally this season to demand his exit, and while those criticisms are not necessarily inaccurate, focusing solely on goals misses the wider picture of his contribution.

It’s not just on the pitch where Lacazette contributes. Emile Smith Rowe highlighted last year the striker’s positive influence over the young players:

"“He’s helped me so much on and off the pitch. He gives me so much confidence,” Smith Rowe said of Lacazette back in January 2021. “As we link-up and play together, he talks to me a lot. I’d probably say he’s spoken to me the most off the pitch.”"

In a squad brimming with young players, an experienced and steadying leader who steers the youth in the right direction is an important commodity. It would be wise to keep hold of Lacazette to continue to help the youngsters blossom into even better players.

Furthermore, with Eddie Nketiah expected to leave, letting Lacazette’s go would leave Arsenal with zero strikers on the books heading into next season.

It is without any doubt that the club will strengthen and spend a sizeable amount on a top striker, but with other positions needing reinforcements, Arsenal do not have the kind of expansive war chest the likes of Chelsea and Manchester City do, meaning the club will have to invest wisely.

Keeping Lacazette as a back-up – ideally on lower wages, of course – while bringing in a world class striker and retaining some money to spend on improving central midfield, right-back and perhaps left-wing would be great business in the club’s quest to return back to the upper echelons of the Premier League.

The sticking point being, of course, finding terms all parties agree on.