Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta says he is “pretty positive” about agreeing on a new contract with club captain and striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang.
He says: “He needs to feel valued, he needs to feel he belongs to us and that we want him”.
Aubameyang’s current deal runs out in June 2021, and Arteta says the club has to show him why he should stay.
The 30-year-old Gabon international says whether he signs a new deal is “possibly the most important decision” of his career.
The Arsenal captain has scored 61 goals in 97 appearances for the club since joining from Borussia Dortmund in 2018.
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Arteta said he’s been extremely happy with how Aubameyang has been performing and behaving on and off the pitch.
“I have a really good relationship with him and we can discuss face to face a lot of things. So far as I’m aware I think he’s very happy at the club.”
However, while Arteta remains optimistic, Aubameyang told French football programme Telefoot that he “hasn’t had an offer recently” from the club. In his words: “It’s a turning point in my career and I want to be honest with everyone.
“They have the keys. It is up to them to do their work and, after that, we will see how things go. It’ll certainly be a very difficult decision to make.”
Barcelona and Inter Milan are rumoured to be interested in the clinical forward.
Arsenal, who currently sit on the ninth spot on the table, travel to second-placed Manchester City when the Premier League restarts on Wednesday.
Whatever you do, do not move to Barcelona to fade under the shadow of Messi’s umbrella.