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Mikel Arteta: 'There is a cloud over our strikers' futures'

Arteta: 'There is a cloud over our strikers' futures'
© Reuters
Arsenal's Mikel Arteta admits that there is a "cloud" hanging over the head of his strikers' futures, with Alexandre Lacazette and Eddie Nketiah out of contract in 2022.

Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta has admitted that a cloud is hanging over the futures of the club's strikers.

The duo of Alexandre Lacazette and Eddie Nketiah are both set to become free agents in 2022, while out-of-favour Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang sees his deal expire in 2023.

Uncertainty is also hanging over the head of Folarin Balogun given his struggles for first-team opportunities, and Arteta has admitted that the situation of his forward line is far from ideal.

Speaking to reporters ahead of the Boxing Day clash with Norwich City, Arteta said: "We have a cloud and the cloud is there and, at the moment, we're not able to change it.

"We're working on it to try to make it as small as possible and as clear as possible, but it's the situation we are in because contracts have details, the timing of them is tricky and we are trying to resolve it."

Ex-captain Aubameyang is thought to be on the radar of Barcelona, and a swap deal with the Catalan giants is supposedly an option heading into the New Year.

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Written by
Ben Knapton

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Folarin Balogun in action for Arsenal in August 2021
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