Arsenal is currently negotiating a new deal with Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang after the striker entered the final year of his current deal with them.
He has been the club’s most important player since he joined them as his goals have been invaluable in different competitions.
The Gunners have been looking to get him on a new deal since last season, but progress has been slow as he also considers a number of interests from top European teams.
The Gunners remain confident that he will sign a new deal with them in the coming days, but the player has all the advantages at the moment and former Arsenal defender Martin Keown has urged the Gunners not to allow the former Borussia Dortmund man to hold them to ransom in the negotiations.
Keown told PA Sport via Mail Online: ‘[Mikel] Arteta has been there less than eight months and walked away with an FA Cup he is someone who can make a difference (to Aubameyang’s decision) and if he wants the striker at the football club he will be influential.
‘The previous manager, Unai Emery, was saying he wasn’t part of the negotiations for Aaron Ramsey.
‘Well this time round Arteta made it his place to be involved in the negotiations and that is only right and proper.
‘I don’t think they should be held to ransom as they appeared to be over the Mesut Ozil contract but on the pitch Aubameyang seems like a different person.
‘Just getting him to sign keeps a huge amount of belief and hope for the future – but not one individual is bigger than the football club as the Ozil saga has shown.’
Aubameyang is being eyed by a number of top teams including Barcelona and Inter Milan.
If the Gunners lose him, Mikel Arteta will have lost a major part of his rebuild and next season might be worse than we can imagine.
Not the same as Ozil saga though because they are different people. Auba wants assurances about the team getting investment, getting FA Cup was CRUCIAL in having a chance at keeping him. He could ask for really silly money but havent even seen reports that match him with Ozil’s current salary. Bottom line is Auba is worth it, and Ozil deal was done because the board mishandled Sanchez saga and completely overvalued Ozil’s contribution to the side.
Well said mate 👍👍
👍 👍 👍
Did we not just loan Miki out and get his full £180k off the wage bill?
Ozil has one year left then hes off the wage bill too… 2 top earners and we might get Ozil loaned this summer, never know. Maybe save half his wages?
Willian has come in for £100k a week also so I’m sure it’s right enough budget wise for wages. Auba wants an extra £70k or so Mikis wages cover that. Maybe I’m wrong!
The £250k per week wages for 3 seasons is apparently not the issue, but whether Aubameyang can be convinced that Arsenal has the ambition to upgrade the squad and compete for trophies.
Is Barcelona or Inter Milan (given the Covid19 financial fallout) going to match £250k per week?
This is sound advice Martin. I thoroughly agree with you.
They’ve kept us dangling long enough!! Come on… announce it (the video had better be good 😂). Reckon it’ll be on Monday??!
He is different from Ozil. He is a match winner compared to Ozil who is a creator.Anyway the footballers are kings now.
Arsenal shdnt be held to ransom by Abu.If he wants to go,let him go.Football is full of instances of highly talented guys who floundered at the next club.
Countino is a good example.
That is the issue, if he doesn’t sign he should be sold and his fee reinvested.
Arsenal can’t afford him to see out his contract unhappy and then leave on a free.