No fear of losing Aubameyang after FA Cup final, asserts Mikel Arteta

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang has been phenomenal since his arrival in the English Premier League, having scored 22 goals in each of the last two seasons, even though Arsenal did not finish in the top four in the same time frame. As we approach the end of the ongoing season, the Gabonese striker is heavily linked with a move away from the Emirates, but Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta feels that Saturday’s FA Cup is not going to be Aubmeyang’s last match for the club.

Arteta started that the prolific scorer still has a contract with the club and added that winning the FA Cup will further give him a further incentive to extend his stay in North London.

“I don’t have that fear.  You need a lot of ingredients on the table to persuade a player of his level to be at this club. He still has a contract here. We wanted to keep him and do it in a more long-term way but at the moment he’s with us... Winning the trophy helps to believe. If you wear the armband and lift that cup, that will help,” said Mikel Arteta, in a virtual press conference.

Having joined midway through this season, it has been one roller coaster ride for Mikel Arteta at the Emirates, but he is on the verge of lifting his first-ever silverware as a manager. The former Arsenal star feels that it would be great to win the FA Cup final against Chelsea this weekend, especially for the club and the fans who have had a difficult past two seasons.

“It would be absolutely great. We’ve worked so hard since I joined here to try to bring this club back to winning titles, so if we can achieve that I will be delighted. But not for myself - for the players and the club. They’ve been through some very difficult moments in the last few seasons and as well for our fans, because they really deserve some joy and nice moments,” added the manager.