Mikel Arteta Urges Arsenal to Act Soon on Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang Contract

Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta has urged the club to hold contract talks with Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang before the season draws to a close. 

The Gabon striker's current deal expires in 2021, at which point he could leave on a free transfer.

Arteta said:

"We will have to do that at some stage before the end of the season for sure, and we will see the intentions that we have [and] his intentions.

"Where we are sitting in [the table at] that moment. I think it is difficult to predict that context right now. For me it is very easy. I want to keep him under any circumstances."

Aubameyang signed for Arsenal from Borussia Dortmund in January 2018, and he has become their most important player.

The forward has netted 61 goals and assisted 13 in 96 appearances for the Gunners. 

This season, he has 20 goals and one assist in 31 matches in all competitions. Their next highest scorer in this campaign is Gabriel Martinelli, with 10 strikes.

Only Thierry Henry and Robin van Persie have had a hand in Premier League goals for Arsenal more frequently than Aubameyang:

He's on the verge of breaking one of Henry's Arsenal records in the Premier League, too:

Arsenal spent a club-record £56 million to prise him away from Dortmund, so they can ill-afford to lose him for free next year and will likely have to sell him this summer if he does not agree to fresh terms.

The Gunners have seen players such as Jack Wilshere, Santi Cazorla, Aaron Ramsey and Danny Welbeck all leave the Emirates Stadium for nothing since 2018, and their lack of income from player sales has contributed to a precarious financial situation at the club.

How Arsenal finish this season could have significant bearing on whether he'll be willing to sign a new deal, though.

The north London outfit have not won silverware during his time at the club—they've lost in the 2017-18 Carabao Cup final and the 2018-19 UEFA Europa League final—nor have they played UEFA Champions League football.

Arsenal's only remaining chance of a trophy this season lies in the FA Cup. They'll face Sheffield United at Bramall Lane in the quarter-finals.

In the Premier League they may only need to finish fifth to qualify for the Champions League because of Manchester City's European ban.

If that is the case, they have a five-point gap to make up on Manchester United with a game in hand. To finish in the top four, they're eight points back on Chelsea, again with a game in hand.