Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta is reportedly ready to take matters into his own hands and make a personal bid to keep Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang at the club.
The Gunners face a potential disaster this summer or next as Aubameyang nears the final year of his contract, meaning he could either leave for a reduced fee in the coming months, or on a free transfer at the end of next season.
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According to the Telegraph, Arteta could do his bit to keep Aubameyang at Arsenal by directly approaching the Gabon international and his father to give a convincing pitch about building an exciting young team around him, rather than leaving this to the club’s transfer chiefs.
Arteta has made a strong start as Gunners boss, but he still has a difficult job on his hands as he tries to get the north London side back to where they want to be.
Aubameyang will turn 31 later this month and may well feel it’s not worth sticking around for much longer to wait and see if Arsenal can win a trophy.
“Football in England changed with that Southampton team of 2013-14, there is no other team that had as big an impact in changing the mindset” – Which manager said this? Click here to read more.
AFC have not been particularly competitive in recent years, with the club rarely at all close to winning the Premier League title and more recently not even getting into the top four.
Aubameyang is a good enough player that he may feel he could easily win a great deal more in the next couple of years if he leaves the Emirates Stadium now.
Arteta will do very well to change the former Borussia Dortmund man’s mind.