Mikel Arteta has said no decision will be made on Alexandra Lacazette’s future at Arsenal until the end of the season.
The Gunners are firmly in the mix for Champions League qualification; they currently sit fourth – one point ahead of Manchester United with three games in hand.
Dining at Europe’s top table would hand the Gunners added funds, and with it Arteta room to manoeuvre with regards to his squad and the signings he can make.
Lacazette is in the final months of his contract, but Arteta has said everything is on hold until the summer.
“We have discussed that and we have been open that at the end of the season, once we know where we are we are going to make a decision together,” Arteta said in his press conference before the club’s clash with Leicester on Sunday.
“I don’t want anybody thinking about something else that is not that. The decision, we agreed, is to do it in the summer and we are going to do it as soon as the season is finished.”
When asked if Lacazette was happy with that course of action, Arteta added: “That’s a question for him. But obviously we have to make decisions and we’ve made that decision to try and finalise that at the end of the season. That’s what we’re going to have to try and do.”
Emile Smith Rowe has been absent since February 19 after contracting coronavirus, but is back with the squad and Arteta is happy to have him available as the Gunners seek a fifth win on the spin in the Premier League.
“He went through Covid,” Arteta said. “He’s feeling good now, he’s had a couple of training sessions and hopefully he can get the rhythm, the consistency and stay out of missing games because he’s a really important player for us and we need him.”
