Mikel Arteta told the media he is confident Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang wants to stay at Arsenal after helping the club lift the Community Shield, the FA Cup for the 14th time and to qualify for Europe for the 25th season in a row while Auba says it’s an ‘exciting time to be an Arsenal player’.

Arsenal's Gabonese striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang holds the winner's trophy as the team celebrates victory after the English FA Cup final football match between Arsenal and Chelsea at Wembley Stadium in London, on August 1, 2020. - Arsenal won the match 2-1. (Photo by Catherine Ivill / POOL / AFP)
Arsenal’s Gabonese striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang holds the winner’s trophy as the team celebrates victory after the English FA Cup final football match between Arsenal and Chelsea at Wembley Stadium in London, on August 1, 2020. – Arsenal won the match 2-1. (Photo by Catherine Ivill / POOL / AFP)

Speaking to the press after the FA Cup final, Auba wouldn’t be drawn on his future, shutting the question down and running off to celebrate with his teammates and get confused by the FA Cup.

Arteta, however, was a bit more chatty when asked about the forward who had scored both Arsenal’s goals to take him to 29 for the season (four in two games in the FA Cup).

Before the game, the Daily Mail had published a hit piece with an EXCLUSIVE that Aubameyang had tried to get a move to Chelsea in January. They didn’t want to pay the wages he wanted, apparently. Other reports, however, were confident he would stay if we sealed European football.

“It was difficult when we started and we conceded a goal so early,” Arteta said after beating Chelsea, “but if I know one thing about this group of players, they never give up.

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LONDON, ENGLAND - AUGUST 01: Mikel Arteta, Manager of Arsenal lifts the FA Cup Trophy after his teams victory in the Heads Up FA Cup Final match between Arsenal and Chelsea at Wembley Stadium on August 01, 2020 in London, England. Football Stadiums around Europe remain empty due to the Coronavirus Pandemic as Government social distancing laws prohibit fans inside venues resulting in all fixtures being played behind closed doors. (Photo by Catherine Ivill/Getty Images)
LONDON, ENGLAND – AUGUST 01: Mikel Arteta, Manager of Arsenal lifts the FA Cup Trophy after his teams victory in the Heads Up FA Cup Final match between Arsenal and Chelsea at Wembley Stadium on August 01, 2020 in London, England.  (Photo by Catherine Ivill/Getty Images)

“Everybody worked incredibly hard, I am so proud to represent these players and this club.

“It’s a double reward for us, it’s really important for this club in every way to be in Europe.

“We’ve done it by winning this cup, it’s part of our history, 14 now.”

He was then, inevitably, asked about the man who had helped Arsenal make it 14 FA Cups.

Will Aubameyang sign a new contract?

Arsenal's Gabonese striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang holds the winner's trophy as the team celebrates victory after the English FA Cup final football match between Arsenal and Chelsea at Wembley Stadium in London, on August 1, 2020. - Arsenal won the match 2-1. (Photo by Catherine Ivill / POOL / AFP)
Arsenal’s Gabonese striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang holds the winner’s trophy as the team celebrates victory after the English FA Cup final football match between Arsenal and Chelsea at Wembley Stadium in London, on August 1, 2020. – Arsenal won the match 2-1. (Photo by Catherine Ivill / POOL / AFP)

“He knows what I think about him,” Arteta replied. “I want to build the squad around him, I think he wants to stay, it’s about getting the deal done.”

He then spoke about how moments like these, winning and lifting the FA Cup, will help Aubameyang realise where his future lies.

Asked a final time if he thinks Aubameyang will sign a new deal with the club, Arteta replied, “I think he will”.

LONDON, ENGLAND - AUGUST 29: Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang of Arsenal lifts the Community Shield Trophy following his team's victory in during the FA Community Shield final between Arsenal and Liverpool at Wembley Stadium on August 29, 2020 in London, England. (Photo by Justin Tallis/ pool via Getty Images)
LONDON, ENGLAND – AUGUST 29: Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang of Arsenal lifts the Community Shield Trophy following his team’s victory in during the FA Community Shield final between Arsenal and Liverpool at Wembley Stadium on August 29, 2020 in London, England. (Photo by Justin Tallis/ pool via Getty Images)

So, of course, the question was bound to come up again after Arsenal’s win over Liverpool at Wembley in the Community Shield given Aubameyang still hasn’t signed.

Arteta’s reply?

Pretty much the same.

“I try to do my job which is convince him he’s at the right place,” he said. “I’m very positive he is going to sign.”

Auba, for his part, scored Arsenal’s goal, scored the winning penalty, and generally looked like he’s loving life at the minute. Speaking after the Shield win over Liverpool, he said “We’re going to see in these days. Today we take the trophy, that’s it. We are improving.

“There is still work to do but I’m really happy and it’s an exciting time to be an Arsenal player.”

https://twitter.com/Aubameyang7/status/1299781075238113284

I’s almost impossible to see him leaving.

Still, I thought that about Robin van Persie and look how that went…

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