Arsenal haven’t had any success in contract talks with Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Alexandre Lacazette so far, according to a report.
Goal report that Arsenal have been trying for some time to get Aubameyang and Lacazette to sign new deals with the club, but so far the talks have proved unsuccessful.
The duo both want to be playing in the Champions League, and Arsenal risk losing both of them if they can’t offer that again next year.
Most likely, that means Unai Emery’s side finishing in the top four, as it’s clear from the last two seasons that the Europa League is an all-or-nothing affair. You can come up against a tough team in the latter stages and see all your previous work undone, so it’s not worth gambling on.
The strikers are well within their rights to want to see Arsenal back in Europe’s top-tier competition before committing their long-term futures. After all, at the end of their current deals, Aubameyang will be 32 (2021) and Lacazette will be 31 (2022).
That’s already pretty late in their careers, and if they extended for another year or two and Arsenal never make it back to the Champions League, it reaches the stage where you doubt they’ll ever play in it again.