The rumor mill has been going wild over Arsenal supposedly wanting to replace Lacazette with Watkins or Calvert-Lewin this January
Mikel Arteta is still in the rebuilding process at the Gunners. After a very shaky start, they are now unbeaten in four games in the league and now sit in 11th place only six points off the leaders.
The Spaniard spent around £150 million in the summer transfer window a few months ago. That money brought him a centre half and midfielder in Ben White and Martin Odegaard but he failed to secure another striker.
The club has relied heavily on their aging forwards who have shown patchy form in recent months. Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang is back in the goalscoring charts but his partner Alexandre Lacazette is struggling to get on the starting team.
The 30-year-old Frenchman has only appeared in two league games this season and with only one year left on his contract, it is very unlikely that it will be renewed. Last year, he scored 13 goals in 31 games so it would still be possible to sell him in January. Otherwise, the player will most likely leave for free in June.
Expecting a goal from @LacazetteAlex @arsenal #ARSTOT#NorthLondonDerby pic.twitter.com/E76cfT9yKL
— Thee Trendeneur❁︎ (@ItsTheeRay) September 26, 2021
How will they replace Lacazette?
Instead, the Gunners have already started looking at younger English alternatives to replace him.
The two men that the club wants to pick between would be Everton’s Dominic Calvert-Lewin and Aston Villa’s Ollie Watkins. Both players are 25 or younger and scored more than Lacazette did last season.
Arsenal’s main problem is that they cannot promise European football to these players that want to further their careers. Going by last season’s results, Arsenal would be a step up for the young players but they have both shown enough quality to get called up for England’s national team along with Champions League winners.
Although this so far is still only an unlikely rumor, the more probable signing for Arsenal would be Watkins.
Calvert-Lewin is the star striker at Everton and has grown up in their ranks. Watkins, on the other hand, is now in competition with the new signing Danny Ings and has only been at the club for two years.
The English striker would be a very promising signing for Arsenal. He will be able to partner or compete with Aubameyang for a striker position.
Would you prefer Calvert-Lewin or Watkins to replace Lacazette? 🤔 #AFC pic.twitter.com/6LpfctJVPX
— AFTV (@AFTVMedia) October 5, 2021
For now, Arsenal will focus on their next game in the league. They play Crystal Palace at home at 20:00 on Monday 18th October.
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