Ian Wright tells Arsenal how to handle Alexandre Lacazette's contract situation

Arsenal legend Ian Wright believes the club should hand Alexandre Lacazette a new contract, with his current deal expiring at the end of this season.

The Frenchman turns 31 in May and his future is in the balance, with his five year stay at the Emirates currently set to end shortly after his next birthday.

Lacazette started the season out of Mikel Arteta’s team and a summer exit seemed certain, but he has come to the fore in recent weeks since the departure of Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang.

He may have only scored three league goals this season, and none in 2022, but Lacazette is playing a pivotal role up front, linking the play with the string of young players just behind him.

The likes of Bukayo Saka, Martin Odegaard, Gabriel Martinelli and Emile Smith Rowe are all benefitting from playing with Lacazette, and Wright feels he should be kept at the club to continue in this role.

‘His position is vitally important to everything we do, just look at the two assists he got [against Watford],’ the Arsenal legend said on Wrighty’s House Podcast.

‘Unless we get that person, you think to yourself, maybe we could give Laca another year or two.

‘I think Laca has got to stay around, man. You can see with his little back flick, his little assist [for Bukayo Saka against Watford]. Man is feeling the vibe!’

Arteta has been coy on his plans for Lacazette, and the other two players out of contract in the summer – Eddie Nketiah and Mohamed Elneny.

‘At the end of the season where we know where we are, we’ll sit down with those three players and between all of us, we’ll decide what we do to move forward,’ the Spaniard said after the 3-2 win over Watford.

Although on Lacazette’s form, he added: ‘I think he’s had really good moments in terms of