It still looks like Arsenal need to sell some players to raise funds to make any further signings, so it leaves Mikel Arteta with the ultimate balancing act.
The only way to raise decent money is to sell players that can play at a high level, but he also needs to ensure that he doesn’t weaken the team in one area just to strengthen another as that would be counterproductive.
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Alexandre Lacazette’s name has come up in recent weeks and it does make sense – He’s a high level striker who could be sold for good money, but Arsenal are already strong in the wider areas and Aubameyang is always going to be the first choice striker.
Lacazette recently addressed some of the speculation, and it sounds like Arsenal will need to force him out if they want him to go:
Interviewer: “But when you read that Arsenal want to put you in a deal with Atlético Madrid for Thomas Partey, that must make you happy?”
Alexandre Lacazette: “If that is true, no, that does not make me happy.”
— Get French Football News (@GFFN) September 11, 2020
In a way it kills a couple of rumours because he shuts down the idea of him leaving at all, but it also sounds like the speculation linking him to that swap deal with Atletico Madrid is also untrue.
Again it’s understandable that he might be a player Arsenal would sell because the squad should be strong enough to handle his departure, but he’s also a player who plays a key role for Mikel Arteta so this won’t come as bad news at all.