Arsenal are progressing in positive contract talks with Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, who wants to stay at the club, according to reports.

Arsenal's Gabonese striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (R) celebrates after scoring a goal during the English Premier League football match between Arsenal and Norwich City at the Emirates Stadium in London on July 1, 2020. (Photo by Richard Heathcote / POOL / AFP) / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or 'live' services. Online in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No video emulation. Social media in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No use in betting publications, games or single club/league/player publications. / (Photo by RICHARD HEATHCOTE/POOL/AFP via Getty Images)
Arsenal striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (R) celebrates after scoring a goal on July 1, 2020. (Photo by RICHARD HEATHCOTE/POOL/AFP via Getty Images)

ESPN Senior Football Writer James Olley reports that contract talks between Arsenal and Aubameyang are edging forward. The striker wants at least a three-year deal and £250,000-a-week. Whilst an agreement isn’t close yet, discussions are progressing constructively and positively.

Julien Laurens adds that Aubameyang ‘wants to stay’, and Arsenal want to keep him. Negotiations continue, but they’re certainly moving forward.

It’s more good news on the contract front from Arsenal this week. They tied down Bukayo Saka to a long-term deal on Wednesday, then Gabriel Martinelli on Friday.

Obviously, Aubameyang is a different case, as a senior player in the prime of his career. But perhaps seeing Arsenal planning for the future will go some way to helping convince him to stay. Particularly as he seems close with both youngsters.

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Should Arsenal pay up?

There are some doubters about giving 31-year-old Aubameyang a three-year deal on £250k-a-week. After the Mesut Özil saga, Arsenal fans aren’t all on board with handing out huge contracts to players in their thirties.

I’d argue Aubameyang is different. His injury record is excellent, only missing 14 games through fitness issues in the last decade (per Transfermarkt).

He’s also the Premier League top scorer at the time of writing, and his game is based on intelligent movement and finishing, not brute physicality. Those are attributes he’ll hold onto for a while yet.

Looking around Europe, there are plenty of strikers still performing in their thirties. Sergio Aguero and Jamie Vardy in the Premier League, Robert Lewandowski in the Bundesliga, Karim Benzema and Luiz Suarez in La Liga.

Zlatan Ibrahimovic was still scoring for fun in Ligue 1 for years after he turned 31. Plus, there’s Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo, but I appreciate they are special cases.

If Arsenal can sign Aubameyang for £250,000-a-week and guarantee at least the next couple of seasons with him, I’d say they should go for it.

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