Arteta upbeat he can convince Aubameyang to stay at Arsenal
Mikel Arteta believes he can convince Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang to stay.
Arsenal striker Auba netted twice against the Toffees to take his tally for the campaign to 19 in all competitions.
The Gabon star’s contract expires at the end of next season and he has been linked with a move, with several of Europe’s top clubs keeping tabs.
Gunners boss Arteta said: “They are completely right to want him because he’s a superb player.
“He completely deserves to be liked by other teams — but hopefully we can convince him this is the right place for him. That he has a future here.
“Hopefully not just wins like this will help keep him — but also what we are trying to do.
“He really enjoys it on the pitch every time he goes out and he feels very much part of what we’re trying to build here.
“I think he’s in that mindset at the moment.”
Dominic Calvert-Lewin fired Everton ahead with an overhead kick after just 49 seconds.
But Arsenal hit back through strikes from Eddie Nketiah and Aubameyang before Richarlison bundled in an equaliser.
Aubameyang then headed what turned out to be the winner 27 seconds into the second half.
Arteta admits he had concerns about his goal hero before he returned to Arsenal as manager just before Christmas.
The Spaniard revealed: “I had two questions. He doesn’t want to do it, or he cannot do it physically.
“Once I found out physically he could do it, it was just about convincing him that he needs to do it every three days. And he’s showing that.
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“I think it’s been tough, you know for a player like him, there’s been a lot of disappointments in the last few months and years — because he has big expectations.
“You know he wants to play for the biggest club in the biggest tournaments and be up there with the best players in the world.
“We have to try to support him and give him everything so he really feels fulfilled here. That’s the challenge I have.”