Arsenal forwards Pierre Emerick-Aubameyang and Alexandre Lacazette are turning into a formidable partnership in the English Premier League but there are growing fears that the pair might not remain at the club for long.
Aubameyang is currently 30 years old and has two more years left on his contract while Lacazette has been on the radar of Barcelona as the Catalans seek a potential replacement for Luis Suarez.
This is why multiple reports have claimed that the Gunners are trying really hard to make both these players sign deals as early as possible.
And while talking to the fans during a Q&A, Football London correspondent James Benge revealed that Arsenal have indeed made a fair bit of progress in trying to convince the duo to stay at the Emirates.
“The reports last month that Aubameyang and Lacazette had agreed new deals were, it is fair to say, a decent way wide of the mark. But there is confidence that both players will eventually sign new terms,” he said.
“From what I’ve heard that belief is somewhat stronger with Aubameyang; he’s obviously older and has found a situation he really likes in north London. I think he could imagine spending several more years at the club.
“His contract is also more pressing and requires more shrewd management (lucky Arsenal have Huss Fahmy and Raul Sanllehi).
“He is undoubtedly one of the best strikers in the world but he is also in his 30s and has a game that is significantly enhanced by his blistering pace. If their experience with Ozil has taught Arsenal anything it is that they don’t want to be mired with a fading star on exorbitant wages. There will be a degree of creativity in how his new contract is structured.
“As for Lacazette, there are rumours that he would like to see what sort of market is out there for him. He will have noted the interest in him from Barcelona and could be keen to see whether another striker merry-go-round next summer opens up a slot at a Champions League contender. At that stage, he will have two years left on his deal, Aubameyang one.
“However if they can fire Arsenal back into the Champions League then I would expect to see both of them stay put for a few years yet.”
The pair of Lacazette and Aubameyang have been working in great sync for some time now but if Arsenal cannot get back into the top tier of Europe then it will be very difficult for Unai Emery to stop teams like Barcelona from snatching away his top stars.
