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Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta admitted that the club has not yet entered into contract negotiations with Alexandre Lacazette.
The French striker has just under two years left on his current contract and Arsenal was thought to be interested in tying him to an extension.
The Gunners had to eagerly await the future of captain Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang this summer after he served the last 12 months of his contract.
But despite Lacazette getting close to that mark, Arteta says discussions with the 29-year-old are not a priority.
“At the moment, we have not started any negotiations,” Arteta said. “We still have a lot of things to do in this market and right now we are focusing on those things.”
(Image: POOL / AFP via Getty Images)
There were reports suggesting that Lacazette could be sold this summer to fund Arsenal’s pursuit of other targets, but Arteta has always insisted on his desire to keep it.
Lacazette was in and out of the team last season following the Spaniard’s appointment as coach and the emergence of promising youngster Eddie Nketiah.
However, he has started both Arsenal games so far this season and scored the first goal in both.
“He is a player with whom I am very happy,” added Arteta. “I think we’ve shown him a lot of faith since I got here.
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“But we cannot begin to speculate. We know that any player who has less than two years of contract will always be talked about.”
Lacazette’s header after 25 minutes put Arsenal ahead against West Ham on Saturday before Michail Antonio’s draw before half-time.
The Hammers appeared to be heading for a draw until Nketiah scored a late winner to give Arsenal maximum points in their first two games.
However, it was far from a classic Arsenal performance and Arteta is aware that there is work to be done.
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(Image: Pool via REUTERS)
“I am very happy with the three points,” he said after the game. “I need to analyze well, because we have many problems that we create ourselves at many times.
“It kind of reminded me of the game and the phases we played them in last year and we let them run.
“There is no structure in the world that can be sustained when someone has the ball completely free and gives it to the opponent. We have to improve in many things.
“We created enough chances to win the game, but we also conceded chances that were our fault.”
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