Arteta: Aubameyang is one of the best

Mikel Arteta has said Arsenal forward Pierre-emerick Aubameyang does not need to win titles to be considered a world-class striker, as shown by Harry Kane.

Aubameyang, the club captain, has come in for widespread praise for his performances in recent weeks and Arteta, the Arsenal head coach, is desperate to convince the player to commit his future to the club by signing a new contract. Arsenal’s top scorer will have one year left on his deal at the end of this season, leaving the club in a difficult position over his long-term future.

“Auba is right up there with the best scorers in this league,” said Arteta, whose side face Olympiacos tonight in the second leg of their Europa League tie. “In the last 10 years, what he has done in the game is phenomenal. In my opinion, he is up there with the best.”

Aubameyang is the joint-top scorer in the Premier League, with Leicester City’s Jamie Vardy, and Arteta said the 30-year-old would have been voted the best player in the league “for sure” if Arsenal had won a title instead of floundering down the table in recent years.

Asked if strikers needed silverware to be considered as greats, Arteta said: “Yeah, but Harry Kane has scored 30 goals [a season] and never won the Premier League. There are a lot of top teams in this country and only one wins the league. You can’t have everything.”

Alexandre Lacazette said it was “really important” that Aubameyang remained beyond this season, and added there was no reason for himself to leave either. It will be easier for Arsenal to keep hold of both players if Arteta can guide them into the Champions League.