Arsenal are planning to offer Gabonese striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang a huge new contract as they aim to ward off interest in the player from China.
Discussions are expected to take place over the summer, with Aubameyang out of contract in two years time, and he is likely to receive a big pay rise as a result of his stellar season, in which he shared the Premier League Golden Boot after scoring 22 goals. He is currently thought to be on around £190,000-a-week.
It is rumoured Guangzhou Evergrande and Shanghai SIPG have both made moves for the player, and have offered an eye-watering £300,000-a-week in order to try to tempt the 29-year-old to the Chinese Super League.
The Gunners are also due for talks for Aubameyang's strike partner Alexandre Lacazette , although the immediacy is not quite so urgent as the Frenchman is tied down on a contract until 2022.
Lacazette has, however, been linked with a move to both Barcelona and Atletico Madrid, and Arsenal are likely to offer him around £200,000-a-week to try to keep the player at the Emirates.
There is certainly no doubt that keeping both forwards is essential if Arsenal are to challenge for titles and try to qualify for the Champions League next season.
The pair had a combined return of 50 goals and 21 assists in all competitions last season and are arguably the best two players at the club.
Manager Unai Emery will no doubt hope tying down the duo for the long term will attract quality players to the club this summer as he looks to build a team which can improve on last season's fifth placed finish.
With a reported transfer budget of just £45m Emery knows he cannot spend big money, but he has targeted the likes of Bournemouth's Ryan Fraser and Sampdoria pair Dennis Praet and Joachim Andersen.
