Rumors of the Frenchman walking out the Emirates exit door have been picking up pace, with the club supposedly ready to let go of him.
Arsenal have been advised against selling Alexandre Lacazette “unless they’ve got an upgrade in place” by former club defender Nigel Winterburn.
Lacazette is yet to agree to fresh terms at Arsenal despite having entered into the final year of his current contract.
It has been reported Mikel Arteta does not have the striker in his future plans for the club and is willing to sanction his departure so as raise funds for bringing in a new frontman.
Atletico Madrid have been linked with the signing of the 30-year-old. The La Liga champions are said to be long-time admirers of the player, who is valued at around just £15 million by his club.
“Arsenal shouldn’t sell Lacazette unless they’ve got an upgrade in place,” Winterburn told Goal, speaking in association with GentingBet.
“I wouldn’t let him go until we have secured another striker. I’ve said that all along.”
Lacazette was the top scorer for the Gunners in the Premier League as well as in all competitions last season, finding the back of the net 17 times in total from 43 games.
Winterburn added: “Lacazette is a different striker to anything Arsenal have at the club. When he’s in top form, he holds the ball up well, his link-up play is good.
“I suppose his strike rate is not the very, very best of what you want, but then we are not at the very, very top of the league either at the moment as well.
“So personally, at the moment, I don’t want to see him go, unless we’ve got someone coming in that’s going to excite me. I wouldn’t let him go and then we haven’t got anybody else to bring in. For me, that’s just way too risky.”
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