"I'm really positive we are going to get it done very soon" said Arteta on Aubameyang's contract
Saturday 12 September 2020 21:26, UK
Mikel Arteta insists Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang's Arsenal contract renewal will be signed "very soon", while Alexandre Lacazette says he is happy at the club.
Both Aubameyang and Lacazette scored as Arsenal brushed newly-promoted Fulham aside 3-0 in the opening game of the Premier League season at Craven Cottage on Saturday, and there were more promising signs for the Gunners after the game.
Regarding Aubameyang, who has entered the final two years of his contract, Arsenal boss Arteta said he is confident the club will make an announcement in the coming days.
"I'm really positive we are going to get it done very soon and hopefully in the next few days you will get some news," Arteta told BT Sport.
Meanwhile, Lacazette has been widely linked with a move away from the Emirates, with Juventus rumoured to be interested, but fresh from starting and then scoring on the opening day, the Frenchman told BT Sport: "I'm really happy. It's only the press who say l am unhappy and l want to leave.
"But me, from the beginning, I have said I am happy with Arsenal and I want to play and win titles. We won a title last month, so I am happy with Arsenal."
Defender Rob Holding has also been linked with a loan move to Newcastle but Arteta added: "I said to him 'change your mind because you're not going anywhere'.
"Rob is another who stands for every value we have at the football club. He had a really difficult time but why do I have to let him go? He is already playing, so what does he want?
"I wanted to see my team determined to come to this difficult ground against a really good team that has been promoted. We had a lot of energy and did the things we trained on in this period."
Willian finished his first Gunners match with two assists and Gabriel Magalhaes headed Arsenal's second goal to start his career with the club in ideal fashion and make it a dream start to the Premier League season for the Gunners.
"It was really good," Arteta said when asked about the debutants' performances. "Obviously for Willian. He knows the league, the country and is very settled here so I knew his performance would settle straight away.
"For Gabriel it was a big challenge for him today to come in. He hadn't played any football in the last six months and he had a terrific performance."
The Spaniard added: "Ideally I wanted to give him some time because he only trained for a few days with the team and physically hasn't played a competitive match for six months, so obviously it was a risk of injury as well.
"But, credit to him, he performed well, physically he felt really good and he was very happy to play."
Arsenal host West Ham in the Premier League on Saturday night at 8pm, live on Sky Sports Premier League.
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