One word that can best sum up Arsenal under Mikel Arteta is change.
The Spaniard has overseen a near overhaul of the squad, banishing the big earners and replacing them with young, hungry talents such as Emile Smith Rowe, Bukayo Saka and new signings Ben White and Aaron Ramsdale.
Most recently, the Gunners coach made the big decision to boot Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang out - cancelling his £350,000-a-week contract after stripping him of the captaincy.
Alexandre Lacazette has been given the armband but that appears to just be a temporary measure with his contract expiring at the end of the season.
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All the signs point towards the Frenchman leaving with a return to Lyon a potential solution but former Arsenal striker Alan Smith reckons there is a scenario that could suit all parties.
Speaking at the London Football Awards, he told the Mirror: “The question is what length contract do you give Lacazette and what he wants at his age.
“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. But yeah, there is a lot of work for Arteta in the summer.”
If Lacazette does make the move, it will mean another captain after the likes of Granit Xhaka, Mesut Ozil and Aubameyang have seen the armband come and go.
But Smith reckons Arteta has more choices than ever with plenty of leaders emerging in his youthful squad.
He added: “I do think there are more potential captains in the team now, we always say that there are not many leaders in football - the Premier League in particular.
“Ben White, Gabriel is very vocal, obviously [Kieran] Tierney, even [Martin] Odegaard, who captains his national team at such a young age. So he should not be someone to discount.
“I think there are a few choices for Arteta. I don’t think Aubameyang was ever a natural captain, Lacazette I don’t know so much.
"So I don’t think the next captain will be a particular problem for Arsenal.”
Arsenal remain in the hunt for a top four position and might even consider themselves as favourites, which could have a massive impact on their transfer ambitions with a striker clearly at the top of their wish list.
Smith added: “If you’re in the Champions League, players want to play in that competition so that would be a massive advantage.
“But Arsenal are still a big club, they’re a London club with fantastic facilities and when it comes to attracting players from foreign lands, being in London matters a lot and they pay a decent wage.
“They have lessened the wage bill in a big way and so we will see but I am sure they already have targets lined up and they are ready to press that button when the transfer window opens.”
