Kevin Campbell has urged Arsenal to cash in on Alexandre Lacazette now and replace him with Odsonne Edouard.
Lacazette is one of two older strikers at the Emirates, and after giving Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang a new contract, the Gunners will have two 30+ attackers in their team if they renew Laca’s deal.
The Frenchman has had a fine season and was scoring the goals when Aubameyang couldn’t find his scoring boots not so long ago.
He has under two years left on his current Arsenal contract, and the club should be looking at offering him a new deal soon before his current contract expires if they want him to stay.
They have also been linked with a move for Celtic’s Odsonne Edouard, and Campbell thinks it is better for them to sell the former Lyon man and sign Edouard instead.
Edouard has been one of the main strikers in Scotland in the last few seasons, and Campbell thinks he would be a solid replacement for the Frenchman.
When asked by Football Insider if the Celtic centre-forward would be a welcome addition at the Emirates, Campbell said: “Edouard is an amazing player.
“It is a position that Mikel Arteta and Edu need to look at soon.
“You can upgrade by reducing the age of your striker. Lacazette still has life in him, do not get me wrong, but Edouard is a lot younger. Obviously, if that was to happen, you are bringing an asset into the football club.
“Edouard is very good with his back to goal which is a big advantage. He can be a link man.
“The resale value for Lacazette is not huge and the last chance to sell him for decent money could be this summer.
“There has to be a ruthless streak now. Arteta has to move and shake as he sees fit – nobody is safe.”
Laca definitely needs to be sold, but I’m still not sure I trust this organization to deal with their business correctly when it comes to finding a suitable replacement
Why do we need to waste another 40M plus on the Celtic striker when our own academy player, Balogun, is clearly ready for promotion to the first team, free of charge? Didn’t we learn anything from ESR’s promotion to the starting 11?
I think the better long term strategy is to target a low cost, back-up striker with the ability to attack crosses.
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A brave post this one. I tend to mostly agree with it. Both Lacazette and Aubameyang are edging into veteran territory, so it would be logical for the club to prepare for life after them. In the case of Laca he hasn’t exactly justified his transfer fee or expectations with a reputation build in French football,just like Pepe’s. I always have to smile when the same anti Ozil crowd.jump to Lacazette’s defence. He cost almost as much as Ozil, but given so little both in goals scored or even in the number of starting appearances.
Joe. S if Aubameyang is edging towards veteran territory, we have saddled ourselves with an enormous and expensive contract problem.
I cannot understand why the club relented on the one year, over thirty contract rule that the club had – if it was good enough for Dennis?!?!
As RF said above, let Balogun start to earn his place in the squad and, meanwhile, offer Lacs a running one year contract?
Too right Ken, it seems like a short sighted all or nothing deal. I hope Arsenal can squeeze a bountiful 21 – 22 season out of him.
@ ken1945I will tell you why they relented on this policy
In those days we could keep really good players with a 1 year contract and they’d be happy to be playing for a club like Arsenal.
Now that we are mediocre, just playing for Arsenal is not enough. On top of this, money has entered the equation and “forced” clubs to give longer contracts if they want an aging player to extend at all.
You will really struggle to find an on form 30 year old player that would take a 1 year extension at their current club instead of move to a big club with a pay rise and 3 year contract(an example).
Imagine we had Bergkamp in this day and age and he had just turned 30 and we only offered him a 1 year contract. There would be over 10 clubs immediately trying to offer him big money and longer contracts.
I’m not saying it’s right to offer 1 year contracts, I’m just saying the viability is very different now. Balogun needs to get his chance I agree.
PG-SA, you make really valid points regarding salaries /contracts /today’s team and Bergkamp.
But this is today where we have a different scenario with covid and how that has affected every clubs finances.
Would Lacs be able to get a long term contract with better pay today?
Look at the Willian situation and how we have tied ourselves down there.
The 30 year old, one year contract is still valid today, if not more so and chelsea have proved that, by sticking to a rule (yes I know it is two years in their case) and avoiding said Willian scenario.
Plus it helps the likes of Balogun regarding the future and his part in the club.
Yes Ken, 100%. It needs to be managed player by player I believe.
In Lacs case, I do like the player overall but we need to sell him now while we can recoup at least a bit of cash for him. I would not be offering him an extension at all. Nothing against the player, I just feel his time is done at Arsenal.
I’d like to see the 1 year contract extension put back in place, possibly from 31 or 32 years of age now though. Many players are still at their peak at 30 so it makes it a bit difficult. Along with advances in training and medical I think the policy from 31 years and over might be a good option.
Other option is older player wages could partly depend on an ongoing performance basis. In Willians case, he’s be getting a big ZERO.
Sad thing about Willian is that if he had stayed at Chelsea I’m sure he’d be doing much better that what he’s doing for us (which is difficult with his current stats) Not sure what the issue is there.
Ken1945 you are very right…
Yeah Balogun should come to first 11 and let Nketia be sold and Laca one year contract isn’t fit as an Arsenal striker. Let Ateta take away this seniority of a thing by giving Nketia first 11 and bring in Balogun because isn’t all about first promoting player but is all about what one can do. Assumed Balogun fine his place at saint Mary Southampton FA cup matche I think Balogun could have provided goal.
A valid point Joe
Not a very big fan of Laca, as I too have called him out several times for not delivering, but you cannot compare his work ethics, commitment and discipline with that of Ozil who was poles apart from Laca.
I’d have Edouard over Laca and Folarin over Eddie. We should not burden Folarin, let him slot in gradually and enjoy his game like Unai / Mikel eased Martenelli into the starting 11.
I second that. Would Dennis Bergkamp have stayed for a further 6 seasons on one year contract extensions under the prevailing contract conditions today?
Thank you for that comment about d anti ozil crowd… Let’s b honest laca is not the kind of striker needed in Arsenal.his not clinical and have poor positioning. 4 me he needs to leave.
I agree Lacazette should be sold to maximise return, as his value will only decline with age; however Joks his contribution to Arsenal in his career here should not be denigrated. His contributions have been consistent, despite being dropped when in form. Where would Arsenal be without his goals this season?
Lacazette visibly puts the effort in and turns up in bigger games. Things haven’t gone so well for him, but it’s more forgivable because of that, I can have some empathy there. And even though the transfer fee was similar (a fair bit more I think) his contract is large, is still less than 1/3 of Ozil’s.
I support him being sold because he hasn’t scored enough goals and I think we need to freshen things up, but I respect him for putting in the effort, even when things haven’t gone as well as they could have – others would have sulked and caused problems
If laca continue with His good form, give him a new contract (while he isnt ask for am stupid salary), give balogun a new contract and Sell eddie
Can’t believe the hate Laca always receives. He is so important to our game. Just look at our last game vs the Saints. When he entered, suddenly there were combinations through the middle again. I agree, he doesn’t score enough, but he is so important to our game with his back to goal play, work ethics. He should be given a lot more credit IMO.
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Maybe:
Sell Nketiah £20m
Sell Lacazette £30m
Promote Balogun to replace Nketiah
Replace Laca with a target-type player: En-Nesyri, Ajorque, Weghorst?
@McLovin and also Admin, U guys are hell right!! Despite his contributions, Lacazette has to be sold in d summer if really we want to challenge for Top honours in 2021/2022 seasons..
Also Aubameyang should be sold too!! He and Laca are slow, kinda lazy and show a ‘non-chalant’ facial appearance in games!!
Other teams have faster strikers such Kane, Son, Rashford, Salah, Vardy, Barnes, Werner, etc and they score goals/create chances alot.
But we don’t, thereby wasting the workrate of the likes of Holding, Mari, Partey, Elneny, etc..
The duo has to go!! Let’s go for faster, aggressive strikers such as Jimenez, Richardlison, Zaha, etc
If we are to be a serious threat we need to trim the squad even more with the sale of Eddie (not good enough) and if he shines somewhere else then so be it he has had his chance at Leeds, Failed and now at Us. England u21 team is the only team he seems to play well, funny same with Matteo with France u21s. Promote Bologun to replace Eddie, buy a new Midfielder.
Sell both and get £20m each for them. £40m + Sell Lucas (£26m). They are the 3 that can get us in some decent money. Then we have to get rid of Willian & Pepe somehow, take a loss as Auba, Saka, Martinelli and Nelson will do better than these 2 and are ahead.
Use the money to buy a winger.
A the back Papa & Kola is gone, the latter will get us some money in a fee in the summer. Mustafi & Luiz are out of contract so Dino & Saliba along with Chambers will return to help Holding & Gabriel. Cedric & Bellerin I’d leave it be along with Matt permantly for Leno. Teirney needs some help back there with maybe a new CB if the 2loanees arnt up to scratch on their respective returns from loan.
LB, CB, CM & Forward required especially is Laca gets sold which he may being in his last year also come the summer.
Agree with you Mclovin.
Only adjustment is promote Moller as well in addition to Balogan.
But I Don’t think the regime will do that.
On a positive this has been a good window so far as we have got rid of some deadwood. A good summer window will set us up for a more hungry team.
I really don’t understand people defending Lacazette because of his link up play, like it was the main ability that a striker should have. A good striker should be scoring goals, that’s his main mission. And Lacazette simply doesn’t score enough. Also he’s not good with his head.
So if we can make some proper business, I’d say sell and find a proper replacement, maybe someone more like Kane or Calvert-Lewin style