Premier League Rumors: Arteta Hoping New Aubameyang Deal Will Be Sealed Soon

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang continues to wait for a new deal, and Arsenal FC manager Mikel Arteta is hoping that his contract gets settled soon.

The Gabon captain is one of the high-profile players who have yet to get a new deal, though he has one more year left in his current pact. And his latest performance against Norwich may serve as a reminder that the Gunners need to strengthen their hold on the 31-year-old player.

Aubameyang scored twice against Norwich, helping the Gunners climb up to the seventh spot in the Premier League standings. The feat also allowed him to reach 50 Premier League goals in 79 appearances, making him the fastest player in Arsenal history to achieve this. Hence, the 31-year-old has proven that he remains an explosive option for Arteta.

"A player that is able to score as many goals as he has done in that short space of time tells you everything about the importance that he has for us," Arteta told reporters of Aubameyang, Daily Mail reported.

"Players that can make the difference in any moment in the game every three days in competitions. That is a big task and he has done that at different clubs," he continued.

The 38-year-old coach recently challenged Aubameyang to keep scoring at will. Arteta added that he would not be surprised if the Gabon national can score at least 100 more goals, BBC reported.

"(I hope he can score) at least another 100 but I don't know. I am not a magician," Arteta said. "What he has achieved today to be the fastest to score 50 in the whole history of this club tells you everything about his mentality and the way he works every day."

A new deal was reportedly close to being settled, but Aubameyang's father wanted to be present when the signing was done. With the COVID-19 situation standing in the way, this has delayed a new agreement from being reached.

Arteta claimed he has no hand in contract negotiations but is confident that one will be done soon.

Arteta said that Aubameyang is happy to stay at Emirates Stadium and that the 31-year-old is aware of his plans. But the important thing here is getting the Gabon player's signature on the dotted line. Until that happens, there will be teams trying to lure him away from Arsenal. One team reportedly interested is Juventus.

Juventus is reportedly inquiring about Aubameyang and requesting information on his availability. Aside from La Signora, other teams who have expressed interest in the Gabon captain include Barcelona, Inter Milan and Manchester United.