Newcastle target Lacazette confirms agents are working to secure Arsenal exit

Alexandre Lacazette admits his agents are already sounding out potential suitors as the clock winds down on his Arsenal career.

The striker, 30, will be free to enter talks with clubs outside England once the January transfer window opens, by which time he will have less than six months remaining on his contract.

There is no shortage of interest in Lacazette, who has scored 68 goals for the Gunners since joining from Lyon for £46.5million in 2017.

Atletico Madrid are long-term admirers while Newcastle United have joined the race since they were bought by a Saudi-backed consortium in early October.

The Magpies are expected to splash the cash in January to boost their hopes of Premier League survival and they will be encouraged by Lacazette's fresh comments.

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"Of course, my agents are starting to look to the right and to the left," he told French outlet Telefoot. "But not until January, I really want to focus myself on something.

"And then we will see what is on offer, if the challenges are interesting, if there are beautiful projects, how they are counting on me.

"So there are still many questions, I prefer to wait until January to position myself."

Lacazette was dropped from the starting XI for Arsenal's clash with Newcastle United on Saturday, but Mikel Arteta insisted he is unfazed by his contract situation.

"That's a position that's happening more and more in football," Arteta told reporters of Lacazette and other soon-to-be free agents on Thursday.

"He is not the only one, we have a few. That's something we have to deal with, with contracts that they were coming from a few years ago, with certain particularities. We knew that was the case.

"I have already spoken with them individually about how we have to handle those situations the best possible way, and that's it.

"It's the situation that we have, whether you are concerned or not.

"Things have happened in the last few seasons for different players, where those possibilities are there. Sometimes the club has more control and sometimes the player has some more control.

"The important thing is that communication is clear, and the intentions of both parties, while they are together, are very clear."

Lacazette has scored three goals in 10 appearances this season, but just one of those has come in the Premier League.

Arsenal are also faced with losing Eddie Nketiah, Mohamed Elneny, Calum Chambers and Sead Kolasinac on free transfers next summer.