Arsenal head coach Mikel Arteta is increasingly confident Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang will stay at the club after holding positive talks with the forward.
Aubameyang’s current contract is due to expire in a year’s time and he is attracting interest from the likes of Barcelona and Inter Milan.
Arteta is desperate to keep the 31-year-old, who is Arsenal’s captain, as he views him as a key part of his rebuild going forward.
Aubameyang is yet to decide his future and wants assurances Arsenal can challenge for trophies in the coming seasons, but Arteta is growing confident an agreement can be found.
“I like the way the conversations are going, I like what I’m hearing. I’m sure for both parties, the quicker we can do it, the better for everyone,” he told Sky Sports News. “I am confident he will extend his stay.
“He’s generally happy. I think he is enjoying his football. He is settled in the country and his family are good.
“I think he can sense - and we’ve told him - how much we like him, how much we value him. I think the connection he has with the fans is unique. I believe he is in the perfect place for him.”
As well as Aubameyang’s future, Arsenal need to resolve that of midfielder Ainsley Maitland-Niles.
Despite starting Saturday’s FA Cup semi-final victory over Manchester City, Maitland-Niles has struggled for action this season.
It has led to speculation the 22-year-old, who is a product of Arsenal’s Hale End academy, could be open to leaving the club this summer and Standard Sport understands Brighton are tracking him.
