Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta admits he is unsure if David Luiz will stay at the club beyond this season.
The Brazilian had a howler against Manchester City, leaving Gooners hopeful he would be allowed to leave the Emirates once his contract expires this month.
Arteta had supported the defender when speaking straight after the loss, but he seems to have changed his tune.
Asked whether Luiz would play for the club again, the Spaniard replied: "I don't know.
"We cannot forget the financial situation. The way that Covid-19 has hit every club and the economy in general, it's going to have an impact.
"What the club is doing at the moment is assessing the situation and trying to clarify a lot of uncertainties that we have in the future. We have to make big decisions and time-wise it is difficult to fit them in with our needs.
"We are trying our best and the club is trying their best. It is difficult sometimes because it puts the player or our sporting necessities in a difficult situation.
"Again, we have to adapt. It is what it is. That is why I wanted to protect David yesterday. That is why I did not start him. But it's a funny game and after 20 minutes you need him, a player who has had a lot of uncertainty in the last few weeks."
Arteta added: "David is very open, he is a leader and I was sure he was going to speak in front of everybody [after the Manchester City game].
"You heard what he said, he was very direct with us too. That is what I value from him and that is what I like from him. We need to be fair on him.
"Me personally I am going to defend him with everything I have because I believe in him. He has shown me a lot of things in his time here and his career speaks for itself."
