Finally, Arsenal fans can breathe. It seems like over the last few weeks, there have been countless reports linking our best players with moves away. First it was Bukayo Saka, then Alexandre Lacazette and now Ainsley Maitland-Niles. However, there is some good news for fans regarding Lacazette.

A report from L’Equipe has suggested that despite the interest from Inter Milan, Alexandre Lacazette wishes to honour his contract and he has turned down a move to the San Siro. This is the reassurance that we as a fan base need, especially given all the uncertainty surrounding his strike partner Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang.

This should also act as a confidence boost to the board. After all, it shows that Lacazette trusts in the process of hiring Mikel Arteta and his contract to revert the Gunners back to the super club they once were.

Alexandre Lacazette doesn’t always get the easiest ride from fans, since he is often the first to be critiqued after a bad miss or absent performance. But nobody can deny he puts in the work each week to better himself, and he is rarely walking around on the pitch since he never gives opposing defenders a moment of rest.

This is the kind of immense spirit that Arteta needs if he is to complete his project, so he would obviously wish to keep Lacazette over Aubameyang if the Frenchman is showing more commitment to stay. He is not one to rest on his laurels; if Aubameyang wants to leave, then farewell. It’s time to replace him.

This would also give any transfer targets some confidence that Arsenal is the place to be. If the players are willing to stay, then it says a lot about the club’s treatment of the squad. Lacazette is not exactly low-profile either because if he wanted to leave, it’s been proven that he’ll have suitors.

It’s about time we as a fan base started to appreciate Lacazette more.

Cover image: Amir Hosseini, 2019