Arsenal News: Gunners Hope FA Cup Win Enough To Get Aubameyang Signature

Arsenal F.C. is still savoring its FA Cup win but there are pressing matters on the table. For one, the future of Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang remains unclear with the Gabon national yet to sign an extension with the Gunners.

Regardless, Arsenal is ready to make its pitch to the 31-year-old player and can only hope he would accept it. Gunners' management has only itself to blame for taking so long to hand the Gabonese a new lease. The wait became a gateway for other clubs to enter the picture, particularly FC Barcelona.

With their chance of getting Lautaro Martinez or Neymar said to be off, Barca is now looking at cheaper alternatives. It has now become a numbers game for Aubameyang and the planned pitch of Blaugrana remains unknown.

“Barca have spoken to Inter about Lautaro over the last few weeks but the conversations have been put on hold by mutual consent. The current situation doesn't allow for major transfer fees,” Josep Maria Bartomeu said to Sport.

Aware that he has options, Aubameyang allegedly wants to see first what Barca has to offer before making a decision. Arsenal is expected to pitch their offer anyway, likely a whole lot more than his current wage per week which is at $262,000.

For Arteta, all he can do now is wait and hope that his talks and the FA Cup win would be enough to convince Aubameyang to stay. He is aware that it all now falls on the shoulders of the Gabon captain, Goal reported.

"Everything is based on my conversations with him, how he sees his future, what I expect from him, the team that I want to build around him and the conversations I have with the people who are very influential around him," Arteta said.

Arsenal will have plenty on its plate as it goes on a rebuild. Mesut Ozil and Matteo Guendouzi could be headed out the door and there are several other names expected to be dangled. The list includes Sead Kolasinac, Mohamed Elneny, Lucas Torreira, Sokratis and Rob Holding.

Alexandre Lacazette's future is also on the table. Though he has two years left, Arteta needs to decide on a contract renewal or a transfer to raise funds. Dani Ceballos is another player who may return. The Spaniard plans to meet first with Real Madrid before making a decision.