Arsenal striker Alexandre Lacazette has singled out four teammates who have the credentials needed to lead the club through the next few weeks without a permanent skipper.
Mikel Arteta stripped Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang of the captain’s armband last week after a ‘disciplinary breach.’
The Gabonese player has been left out of Arsenal’s game with Leeds United today and is reportedly training away from his teammates.
Lacazette is the captain for tonight’s trip to Elland Road and is currently among the contenders to succeed Aubameyang as Arteta’s main man.
But the France international says the likes of Gabriel, Albert Sambi Lokonga, Ben White and Kieran Tierney can’t be overlooked for the role.
‘Yes there are quite a few,’ Lacazette said. ‘Big Gabi [Gabriel] has got a huge presence and leadership at the back for example.
‘I think when he is more fluent in English that is going to help the team even more.
‘Ben White, as well, is a leader at the back. He’s maybe more quiet but by the way he plays he can be a good leader and I think [with] age that will build up more.
‘Also [Albert] Sambi Lokonga but he has already been a captain in the past [at Anderlecht] in the past so that’s no surprise.
‘Also I think Kieran Tierney has been a captain in the past, maybe for the national team so you can see we have plenty of leaders in the squad.’
Another name thrown into the hat to take over from Aubameyang is Martin Odegaard with Arteta recently lauding him the ‘perfect professional.’
‘He’s a very young player but already has a lot of experience at different clubs and international level,’ Arteta told a press conference on Friday.
‘I agree in the last few weeks he’s getting close to his best level and the ceiling for him I don’t know where it is because of talent and desire he has and how much he wants to improve.
‘We have a tremendous player. ‘He is a natural leader if you look for perfect professional he wouldn’t be very far from that’.
