With Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang stripped of the Arsenal captaincy, Alexandre Lacazette has been talking about some of the players who could take over.

After Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang lost the Arsenal armband this week, Alexandre Lacazette was the player to step up to take it by default.

Lacazette was vice-captain when Aubameyang was captain, so it makes sense that he’s been the player to take over.

But Arsenal are yet to officially name the striker as the captain for the long term, leaving the question of the next permanent appointment open.

Lacazette himself has spoken to the media about some of the options, and it’s quite a long list.

“Yes there are quite a few,” Lacazette said. “Big Gabi [Gabriel] has got a huge presence and leadership at the back for example. I think when he is more fluent in English that is going to help the team even more.

“Ben White, as well, is a leader at the back. He’s maybe more quiet but by the way he plays he can be a good leader and I think [with] age that will build up more.

“Also [Albert] Sambi Lokonga but he has already been a captain in the past [at Anderlecht] in the past so that’s no surprise.

“Also I think Kieran Tierney has been a captain in the past, maybe for the national team so you can see we have plenty of leaders in the squad.”

Add Lacazette and Granit Xhaka to that list, given they’re the two players who are essentially taking over at the moment, and there are a lot of options.

Even Rob Holding deserves a mention, having played as captain in his start against Leeds United in the League Cup in October.

Mikel Arteta has talked a lot about having a leadership group, and many of the players above are presumably part of it. We may have to wait a while longer before we get anything official on the number-one captaincy pick though.