Mikel Arteta urged Alexandre Lacazette to focus on the task at hand with Arsenal amid speculation the striker could leave the Gunners.
Frenchman Lacazette desires European football next season, and is eyeing a move to a Champions League side after failing to make a single appearance in the competition for Arsenal.
The 30-year-old suggested, in an interview with Canal Plus, that former club Lyon are among several interested in signing him when his contract expires at the end of the season.
While Arteta understands it is up to Lacazette to decide his future, the Spaniard implored him to concentrate on the current challenge with Arsenal as they fight for a place in England's top four.
Arsenal head to Chelsea on Wednesday in the Premier League sitting three points behind fourth-placed Tottenham, who have played a game more.
"He doesn't need to tell me what he does in his own life but he has and we've discussed that and he's entitled to do that," he said of captain Lacazette at a pre-match news conference on Tuesday.
"His contract situation allows him to make the decision about the future. We have expressed clearly what our intention is, to speak in the summer when we know where we are and what we're going to do in the future together.
"For the rest, I just want him fully focused on his duty, which is now defending Arsenal in the best possible way like he's done all the time when he's been with us, and that's why he's been wearing the armband of this football club, so that's a big risk.
"The contracts start and end with the expiry date that you have agreed on the day that you put the pen down, and then you have to live with the consequences of that.
"That's the reality of the contract that he has and the commitment and the duty he has with the football club.
"That is the agreement that we made with him. That was our position, and our position remains the same - that this is what we are going to do.
"Then it's up to him because it's not about us or him, it's about both parties."
Lacazette missed training and was absent with COVID-19 against Southampton on Saturday; the Gunners suffering three successive losses in the league for the third time during Arteta's reign.
As Arsenal aim to avoid four consecutive league defeats for the first since March 1995 under Stewart Houston, Arteta was unsure whether Lacazette would return in time.
"With Laca we are assessing him today to see if he is available with the team, obviously as you all know he had Covid so he’s been away for a few days," he added.
"So we're trying to get [how] he's feeling and where he's at if he can contribute somehow with the team."
Should Lacazette leave in the close season, that may make room for fellow striker Eddie Nketiah, who is becoming increasingly frustrated with a lack of minutes.
"He is right to be upset," Arteta added. "This is what we want from the players that haven't had the minutes.
"Especially Eddie, because if there is a player in the dressing room that deserves more chances, that is for sure Eddie.
"It's not about pressure to play him, it's about trying to put a team there that can win football matches, and you believe that has the best possible chance to win it.
"Then just pick the players, regardless of the situation. We could have gone for a completely different approach and played him even less or don't give him any opportunities, or don't put him in the squad.
"We have to treat every player with the duty that we have. They are our players, we want to get the best out of them. With Eddie I said many times as well how much I rate him.
"We have big plans for him at this club for the future, and this is where we are today and we have to accept that reality."
Bayer Leverkusen 2-3 Leipzig: Visitors fightback halts unbeaten streak for Alonso's side
Bayer Leverkusen suffered their first defeat in 36 Bundesliga matches, as Leipzig came from behind to stun Xabi Alonso's side 3-2 at BayArena.
Lois Openda struck twice for Marco Rose's, who recovered from 2-0 down to make it two wins from two and move to the summit of the table.
It looked like business as usual for the reigning Bundesliga champions when they scored twice in the last seven minutes of the first half through Jeremie Frimpong and Alejandro Grimaldo.
However, Leipzig replied deep into first-half stoppage time with Kevin Kampl reducing the deficit.
Openda then brought the visitors level in the 57th minute, before a stunning long-range strike completed the turnaround 10 minutes from time, condemning Leverkusen to their first league defeat in 15 months.
Data Debrief: Leverkusen's long streak comes to a shuddering halt
Leipzig became the first side to beat Leverkusen in a Bundesliga match since Bochum achieved the feat a staggering 462 days earlier.
The visitors have begun a Bundesliga season with two wins from two for only the second time, also doing so in 2019-20.
They are also now unbeaten in 13 league matches, their longest such streak since Rose took charge.
As for Leverkusen, their invincible streak is officially history, as is their 29-game unbeaten run on home soil.
'We really let ourselves down' - Coleman slams Everton after late Bournemouth collapse
Seamus Coleman acknowledged Everton "really let ourselves down" and must "look at ourselves in the mirror" following their spectacular late collapse against Bournemouth.
Sean Dyche's side, who were seeking their first points of the season, led 2-0 in the 87th minute at Goodison Park through goals from Michael Keane and Dominic Calvert-Lewin.
However, the hosts were undone by three crosses in the latter stages, with Antoine Semenyo pulling a goal back and Lewis Cook levelling, before Luis Sinisterra completed a sensational turnaround in the sixth minute of stoppage time.
Boos rung around Goodison Park as the Toffees remained pointless and rooted to the foot of the Premier League table, and Coleman echoed the supporters' frustrations.
"We really let ourselves down in front of our fans," the skipper said. "We cannot take our foot off the gas at this level. Unfortunately, we did that.
"We cannot be conceding the goals that we did. We have to look at ourselves in the mirror."
Meanwhile, Dyche bemoaned the lack of responsibility amongst his players, as they became the first side in Premier League history to lose a game after leading by two or more goals in the 87th minute.
"We did so much right until they scored their first goal," the Everton head coach said. "The game should have been out of sight. We conceded one and then threw it away. I can't put my finger on it right now.
"They kept raining it forward and got their reward in the end. They were playing it forward and crossing it into the box, and we didn't deal with it. Simple stuff, but we threw it away. It is the third game we have thrown away this season.
"Everyone was looking at someone else to deal with things and that is when there is trouble. You could see the body language change. You have to see games through, and we have enough experience to do that, but today we didn't."
Bournemouth boss Andoni Iraola added: "It was the worst game we played this season. Everton deserved to win today, but the players kept pushing.
"I always have hope because this team has spirit. We have done it before and had some good comebacks. The spark of the first goal made us believe we could do it again."
Nottingham Forest 1-1 Wolves: Bellegarde beauty earns visitors first point
Wolves earned their first point of the Premier League season following a 1-1 draw with Nottingham Forest.
Chris Wood's towering header was cancelled out by Jean-Ricner Bellegarde's stunning strike as the spoils were shared at the City Ground.
The hosts took the lead in the 10th minute as Wood rose to nod home from Elliot Anderson's corner.
However, the visitors were level just two minutes later in spectacular fashion, with Bellegarde firing a stunning long-range volley into the roof of the net.
Gary O'Neil's side had Sam Johnstone to thank after the break, with the debutant producing a strong hand to deny Wood his second goal of the game.
Matheus Cunha curled a shot just wide while the offside flag denied Wood later on, with Forest unable to snatch victory but extending their unbeaten start to the campaign.
Data Debrief: Wolves end losing streak while Wood matches Collymore
After opening the season with two defeats and eight goals conceded, Wolves stopped the rot with a welcome point against their Midlands rivals, while ending a five-game Premier League losing streak in the process.
Meanwhile, Forest remain unbeaten in their opening three games of a top-flight season for the first time since 1995-96.
Heading his side into the lead, Wood became only the second Forest player to score in both their first two home matches in a Premier League season since Stan Collymore 30 years previously.
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