Mikel Arteta has urged Arsenal and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang to find a swift resolution to their contract talks, pointing out the effect a new deal would have on his player’s mindset and describing it as a case of “the quicker the better”.
Aubameyang has scored five times in his past six games, including the double that defeated Manchester City and took Arsenal to the FA Cup final, but his future remains unclear and he stands to be a free agent in just over 11 months. Negotiations over an extension have not moved rapidly and Arteta outlined the added certainty an agreement would bring.
“When I was talking about the uncertain things, obviously he’s one of them,” Arteta said. “With Auba, I think I’ve been very clear with what I want. The quicker we do it, for me, the better because the player will be more focused, more determined and more calm. But we have to respect the timings as well as the needs of the club.”
Arsenal visit Aston Villa on Tuesday night and wins in their final two top-flight matches would offer a good chance of Europa League qualification before the final against Chelsea.
Arteta confirmed Mesut Özil was back in training and did not rule out a recall for the playmaker. Özil has not played since March, having been dropped and then sidelined with back problems. Matteo Guendouzi has been in a similar position, missing the past eight games and training alone for disciplinary reasons, but Arteta suggested both players could heed the example of Granit Xhaka, who seemed certain to leave but has bounced back.
“I think he is a really good example for any player that is in a difficult moment,” he said. “If you are willing and consistent and you really want to do it there is always a way back.”
Asked to confirm it applied to Özil and Guendouzi, he continued: “That applies for any player and any member of the staff. If you show that, that you decide to do the best not only for yourself but for the team and for the club, I think everyone will welcome you.”
The resolve Arsenal have shown in beating City and Liverpool has delighted Arteta, who detects his players are taking pleasure in showing a steel that has not always been evident.
“I try to convince them that without that we cannot compete with the top teams at the moment,” he said. “But if we are willing to do that we’re going to give ourselves a big, big chance.
“The fact of the trick here is that they’re really enjoying doing that. If they do it because we have to push them to do it all the time, for me that’s not the right way and we’re not going to accomplish it long term. If they start to enjoy doing it together and be proud of it, and they can see the results and sense that unity, that is powerful.”
Arsenal have come under heavy criticism at times this season and Arteta, who faces Villa without the injured Shkodran Mustafi but welcomes back Eddie Nketiah and Cédric Soares, said he hoped they had used it as “a challenge to put things right”. – Guardian
