Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta has said that he isn’t worried about the FA Cup final being Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang’s final game for the Gunners.
The Arsenal captain has just one season left on his contract at the Emirates Stadium, which means that the club could make the decision to cash in this summer other than lose him for nothing in 12 months should they not be able to convince the striker to put pen to paper on a new deal.
Clubs such as Barcelona have been linked with a move for the 31-year-old, who has scored 27 goals in all competitions this season.
Speaking in his pre-match press conference ,when asked if the FA Cup final against Chelsea could be Aubameyang’s last game in an Arsenal shirt, Arteta gave a confident answer.
"No, I don't have that fear,” he said. Although the Arsenal boss admitted that lifting the trophy could help to convince the captain to stay at the club.
"What I said is it's a package at the end. You need a lot of ingredients on the table to persuade a player of his level to be at this football club. Don't forget that he still has a contract here with us. We wanted to keep him and do it in a more long-term way but at the moment he's with us and I think he should be really proud of where he is as well."
Having been made captain this season it will be Aubameyang’s job to lift the trophy should Arsenal be successful in the final, and Arteta has said that that would help make up the forward’s mind.
“Absolutely. That has a strong link with everything that you want to experience as a player. Winning the trophy helps to really believe and feel, 'Wow, I want to experience more of these moments.' If you are wearing the armband and you are able to lift that cup, it's such a moment - this is going to help for sure."
