Mikel Arteta believes the FA Cup final will not be be Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang’s last game for Arsenal.
But Arteta admits beating Chelsea in the Wembley showpiece will be vital towards keeping their 27-goal star.
Aubameyang, 31, goes into the showdown with his future in doubt given he has less than one year left on his current deal.
Arsenal must win the FA Cup to qualify for the Europa League, which would provide a huge financial boost to Arteta’s hopes of rebuilding the squad and improve their chances of keeping Aubameyang.
But when asked whether he felt it could be Aubameyang’s last game for the Gunners, Arteta said: ‘No, I don’t have that feeling.
‘It’s a package at the end, you need to have a lot of ingredients on the table to persuade a player of his level to be at this football club.
‘It is a massive day. I wouldn’t like to talk or link too much these two factors but it’s a reality obviously that financially it would be really helpful and obviously from the sporting side as well to play in Europe for this club is a must.
‘Don’t forget that he still has a contract here with us and we want to keep him and do it in a more long term.
‘But at the moment he is with us and I think he should be really proud of where he is as well.’
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