• Striker demonstrates value again with goal and winning penalty
  • Mikel Arteta: ‘I’m very positive he’s going to sign’

Mikel Arteta said Pierre‑Emerick Aubameyang is close to signing a new contract at Arsenal after the striker demonstrated his value once again in the Community Shield victory over Liverpool.

The Arsenal striker, who has entered the final year of his existing deal, struck a superb opening goal plus the match-winning penalty in the shoot-out at Wembley as Arteta delivered the second trophy of his brief managerial career. Aubameyang was noncommittal on his Arsenal future afterwards but his manager was confident the problem will be resolved soon and will not overshadow the start of the new Premier League season. “We are close,” a smiling Arsenal manager told BT Sport. Later, Arteta added: “We are trying to convince him he’s in the right place and the right environment to produce what he did here and four weeks ago [when scoring twice in the FA Cup final win against Chelsea].

Related: Aubameyang keeps his cool as Arsenal win Community Shield on penalties

Continue reading...