EPL: Mikel Arteta finally reveals Arsenal’s new captain

Arsenal manager, Mikel Arteta, has finally named Alexandre Lacazette as the club’s captain for the remainder of the season.

Arteta confirmed this during his pre-match press conference ahead of Arsenal’s away Premier League tie with Wolves on Thursday night.

Arsenal have been without a permanent captain since Pierre-Emerick Aubamayang was stripped of the skipper armband last year due to a disciplinary breach.

Aubamayang eventually left Arsenal in the January transfer window to join LaLiga giants Barcelona.

However, Lacazette, who has been handed the captain armband on a number of occasions since Aubamayang’s departure, has now been handed the role permanently for the remainder of the campaign.

“We have some exceptional senior players that are really helping. Why the young players are doing so well is because they have the senior players next to them giving the example,” Arteta said when asked if Arsenal needed a strong captain to lead their young squad.

“The togetherness and the chemistry that I saw in the last two weeks, a little bit out of the competition, we haven’t had time since I’ve been here because of Covid, two years without pre-season, without having time to spend together, it’s the thing probably that I’m most proud of and not only around the players but the staff and the real chemistry that is there.

“That is something that is going to stay here.”

Asked whether Lacazette will be captain until the end of the season, Arteta said: “Laca is the captain at the moment, yes.”