‘Question is’: Alan Smith tips Arsenal’s ‘ideal’ solution to star’s situation

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Alan Smith has told the Mirror that Arsenal should offer Alexandre Lacazette a one-year contract to ease Mikel Arteta’s summer transfer rebuild.

The Gunners are facing a striker crisis at the end of the term with Lacazette and Eddie Nketiah free agents. Both are out of contract and after axing Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, Folarin Balogun may soon be Arteta’s only option.

Arsenal want to re-open talks with Lacazette over a new contract in the summer, per the Evening Standard. They have shelved negotiations for the time being to focus on trying to qualify for the Champions League this season.

Emirates Stadium chiefs are happy to delay holding talks with the Frenchman to focus on the Premier League. But Lacazette can agree a pre-contract with a foreign side and Lyon president Jean-Michel Aulas has expressed his interest.

Alan Smith feels one-year Alexandre Lacazette contract offer ‘ideal’ for Arsenal

Arsenal hero Smith believes his former side should keep Lacazette with a new contract and avoid a free transfer. But the ex-Gunners striker feels the north Londoners will be reluctant to commit to the 30-year-old with a long-term deal.

Smith senses Arsenal will want to avoid being burdened with another high-earning star who cannot justify the wage. The Gunners continued to pay over 90% of Mesut Ozil’s after axing the £350k-a-week playmaker, per The Athletic.

The north Londoners also paid Aubameyang £7m to tear up his £350k-a/w deal in January, per The Times. Neither the Gabon star nor German ace offered the same output after penning their lucrative Emirates Stadium contracts.

“The question is what length contract do you give Lacazette and what he wants at his age,” Smith said. “Arsenal don’t want to be stuck with someone that is overpaid and underperforming. They’ve been there before.

“It looks like he is a good character of the dressing room, but it all depends on who they have lined up to come in. In an ideal world, you might give him a one-year contract to oversee the transformation of that attack.”

Lacazette is currently Arsenal’s second-highest earner behind Thomas Partey after Arteta tore Aubameyang’s contract up and sanctioned a free transfer. Per Spotrac, the French ace earns £182k-a/w to Partey’s £200k-a/w wage.