Southampton manager Ralph Hassenhuttl says he can understand Arsenal's dilemma in terms of keeping Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang at the club.
The Arsenal captain's contract at the Emirates expires at the end of next season, and there is a possibility that Mikel Arteta's side could sell their prized asset to avoid losing him on a free.
The Gabon striker is set to start for the Gunners against Southampton on Thursday, and ahead of the game Hassenhuttl was asked about the similarities that his side face in the shape of midfielder Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg.
Hojbjerg was stripped of the club captaincy last week after he made it known that he wants to leave St Mary's this summer, with James Ward-Prowse taking the armband for the remainder of the season.
“It’s important for the team to have a clear message of what we want to have," Hassenhuttl said ahead of the Arsenal clash.
“The captain is a special position in a squad because he is the leader. He is normally going forward and steps ahead of everybody. He tries to push everybody.
“I don’t mean Pierre [Hojbjerg] cannot do this without his captain’s role. But in general it’s not absolutely perfect if you go into your last season being the captain and say, ‘I don’t want to extend my contract’.
“Then you must look for players who stay with us longer. I think it was a clear message from my side and both players [Hojbjerg and Ward-Prowse] understood it completely.
“It doesn’t mean I have a lower meaning about Pierre, because he knows that I really appreciate what he does for this club and how professionally he works for this team.
“He, as me, wants to be at the highest possible position in the table when he should leave for the summer. If he goes and we are eighth or ninth, then it would be fantastic for him."
When asked he saw any parallels with Aubameyang, Hassenhuttl admitted Arsenal had a dilemma to solve.
“I don’t know the internals so I cannot speak about that," he added.
“I know that it is always difficult when a player goes into his last year of his contract.
“This is the problem since Bosman that we have a situation where players can put some pressure on clubs to force to leave, because they only have one year left. It’s never a perfect situation.”
